Living A Lie
by MidnightGirl467
Summary: Damon and Elena have been having affair and Stefan has no idea about it. Damon is making Elena choose him or his brother, but what happens when they find out that Stefan has also got a secret of his own... Please read, I suck at summaries.
1. Love and Loyalty

**Hey, so here's a new story for you guys. Hope you like it. Did you guys see the new episode of Vampire Diaries, did you love the ending scene with Damon and Elena? I don't want to say anything about it, I don't want to spoil it for people who don't want to know. If you guys have suggestions for stories for me to write just PM me, anyway I'm going to quit the babbling now and let you read. :) **

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><p><strong>Elena POV <strong>

I kissed Damon goodbye and immediately the guilt ran through my body. I wanted to stay with Damon desperately and be with him for the rest of eternity but how could I destroy Stefan in such a away? After everything me and Stefan had been through I owed Stefan more than that, but didn't I owe him more than to deceive him like this? Honestly, I had never felt so confused.

"Stay." Damon whispered against my lips.

"You know I can't, Damon." I tried to hide the pain in my voice but it was still there.

I had once promised myself that I wouldn't do this to the both of them, that I wouldn't string both Damon and Stefan along but I was doing exactly that despite my promise to myself. I did love Damon more than anything in the world but my loyalty to Stefan and everything that we had been through made me think twice about my decision

Finally I left the Salvatore Boarding House and drove to the Grill, my hands clenched tightly on the steering wheel in disgust of who I had become. I drove slowly, I just couldn't face Stefan, not yet. I needed five more minutes to myself, I needed to be alone.

I had been feeling filthy and dirty lately, I had never been this person and I had never wanted to be this person that I now was. What made it worse for me was that I had told Damon to keep our affair secret from his brother, I had made Damon lie to his own brother. It wasn't like Damon hadn't lied to Stefan before but it made me feel terrible because I had be the cause of the lies.

I reached the Grill and parked my car in the only empty space available. To my surprise Caroline's car was there too. I hesitated before I opened the entrance door, I didn't want it to be like this. I didn't want all the lies and games. I then made another promise to myself, I had to make up my mind. I would put a stop to this before she went crazy. Damon or Stefan? The question rung in my head.

Walking into the Grill I saw Stefan playing darts with Tyler and Matt, all of them were laughing and smiling. Bonnie and Caroline were sat on bar stools watching the boys intently with huge grins on their faces. There was a spare stool next to Caroline and I realised that the stool was meant for me. I glanced at my watch to see how late I was.

"Ten minutes. Great." I whispered before putting a fake smile on my face and walking over to my friends.

**Stefan POV**

I heard her heartbeat and footsteps come closer towards us and I smiled slightly to myself. I turned to face her and for a second I thought Elena was Katherine, she had a glint in her eye that Katherine had had during 1864 when she had been sleeping with me and Damon.

"Hey guys, sorry I'm late." Elena said as she kissed my cheek before walking over to the spare stool next to Caroline.

"Hey, Elena." Everyone mumbled, all of them smiling cheerfully.

Tyler took his three shots and had a bull's eye much to Matt's displeasure as he was already losing by a considerable amount. Tyler smirked at Matt who just shrugged pretending not to be bothered by it all, when clearly he was.

"Don't worry about it, Matt." Bonnie said with a playful smile on her face, that made me wonder if anything was going on between Matt and Bonnie. Matt winked back at Bonnie before he took his three shot at the Dart Board. Maybe there was something going on there.

"Anyone want some drinks? I'm sure I could get the bar man to give us some alcohol." Caroline said with a knowing grin on her face.

"Go for it." Tyler spoke like it was dare, like he didn't think Caroline would really do it but to the rest of us it was pretty obvious that she would.

**Elena POV **

Two hours later after the triple date had officially end. Stefan and Caroline had drove Matt and Bonnie home because they had gotten way to drunk to even walk home. When Stefan and Caroline had come back to the Grill, they joined me and Tyler at a table and we begun to chat away wildly about the latest gossip in Mystic Falls. I would join in occasionally, but my thoughts kept drifting back to how much I had turned into Katherine, playing with both Salvatore brothers.

I glanced over at Stefan who surprisingly hadn't noticed my absence in the conversation at all, he was laughing with Tyler about something Caroline had just said. Stefan's smile made me smile and the guilt spread through my veins once more. I hated what I had become but yet I still didn't want to give it up what I had, the conflict of my thoughts were only making me even more confused and angry with myself.

"Elena?" Caroline stared at me and waved a hand in front of my face.

"You with us?"

Caroline peered down at me, her blue eyes sparkling brightly reminding me of the blue eyes that had held so much love for me when I had last seen them a few hours earlier. Tyler stared at me too, his brow furrowed on his head whilst Stefan just smiled sweetly at me, which only made everything more heartbreaking for me. If only he knew.

"Sorry guys, I have an headache. I guess the drink got to me." I laughed half-heartedly.

"Do you want me to drive you home?" Stefan asked me, expressing genuine concern for me.

I shook my head and stood up.

"No, I'll just get Da-Jeremy….I'll get Jeremy to pick me up! He won't mind, he's just sat at home watching TV either alone or with Alaric." I spoke faster towards the end, hoping that Stefan, Caroline and Tyler hadn't heard me say the first syllable of Damon's name.

"Okay, if you're sure." Stefan nodded.

I hugged Caroline goodbye, waved goodbye to Tyler and kissed Stefan quickly before I left. But it felt as though, Stefan wasn't really into the kiss like he used to be or maybe I was just hoping that he didn't feel the same about me anymore.

I text Jeremy to come and pick me up and while I waited for him, I glanced over at Stefan who was chatting to Tyler about something. Caroline was nowhere to be seen. Where was she?

"What the hell is up with you, Elena?"

Found her, I mentally told myself.

"Nothing, Caroline. I've got a headache."

I walked out of the doors before she could say anything else to me. I just wanted to go home. Jeremy had just pulled up when I stepped outside into the cold night air. I ran to the car trying to escape as fast as I could. Jeremy didn't ask me any questions or he didn't even talk to me, he just drove us home in silence.

When we were home, I thanked him and I run upstairs to my room. I jumped on my bed, not bothering to turn on the lights. I wanted the darkness to cover the mess, the disaster that I had become.

"Elena?" A voice whispered, at first I thought it was Stefan coming to check on me but no the soft ragged whisper was Damon's.

"Damon?" I slowly stood up off the bed and made my towards him the dark. My hands found his chest, I run my hands up from his chest to his face. I was so glad that he was here, if he hadn't been I would probably be crying into my pillow right now.

"Elena, please. I need to tell you something."

What did he have to tell me? Did Stefan know about us? Did Damon not want to be with me anymore? Had everything I had risked been for nothing? The questions burned in my head, Damon couldn't be leaving me. He wouldn't be leaving me. Damon kissed my lips gently before pulling away, he pulled my hands away from his face. Only making me panic more, I just needed him to tell me what he wanted to say. My heart was beating faster than was healthy in anticipation, I run my fingers through my hair but he still didn't say anything causing me to say something.

"Are you leaving me?" I whispered, my voice broke and I couldn't stop the tears that fell. "Because if you are -"

Damon cut me off abruptly.

"Elena, I would never leave you. Wherever you are, I am…Elena, please don't cry." He kissed my face where the tears were falling in hope that he would make them stop, but they tears carried on falling down my face.

"Then what do you need to say?"

Damon pulled away and his hand reached my face, gently caressing my cheeks. I wish I could see his face but the darkness of my room cloaked us from each other, both of us not really sure of what the other was thinking.

"I love you, Elena but I can't live like this anymore. I can't share you with my brother, I just can't. I want to take you out on dates, I want to go on double dates with blondie and the dog. I want to be able to show the world that I'm with you. What I want is for you to decide. You need to decide Elena. Me or Stefan. I can't live like this anymore."

_You need to decide, Elena. _To my horror I realised that Judgement Day had come.

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><p><strong>Hoped you enjoyed it! Please review. Don't forget suggestions PM me or tweet me flyingfireworks on Twitter. If you're on there please follow me! :) Love MidnightGirl467 xXx<strong>


	2. The Night To Remember

**Here's the second chapter! Sorry it took so long to be posted but I had so many ideas for this chapter and I didn't know what to do. So I chose this way, this clear things up with whether or not Elena's been sleeping with both brothers or not. I hope you like it and I'm sorry it's shorter than the last chapter. **

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><p><strong>Elena POV<strong>

"Damon." I breathed out, not really knowing why. I just felt that I needed to say his name to reassure him, that I loved him and that he was my choice.

"Is this where you tell me that it's always been Stefan and will always be?" He asked, the fury and jealousy written all over his face but he didn't raise his voice at me, he just remained quiet. Damon pushed my hands away when I reached to touch his face as a form of comfort. The rejection rushed through me and flowed through my veins, I hated it when he pushed me away. I turned away from him and dropped my hands to my sides in defeat as I tried to hide the tears that fell down my cheeks.

"Damn it!" I heard him mumble from behind me and within a matter of seconds he was standing up in front of me, his blue eyes sparkling in the moonlight casting a beautiful light over my face. His eyes locked my gaze to his face and my heart started to race with my chest.

"You don't know how hard it is to resist you." He whispered against my lips as his fingers traced patterns on my cheek. I could almost see Damon's body sigh in defeat when he spoke the words.

"Then don't."

Before he could reject me again, I pulled his lips back to mine. He played along with the kiss for a while but he soon pulled away, despite the fact that he wanted to carry on as much as I did. I grasped his hand with mine and slowly led him to the bed. I kissed him again in hopes that he wouldn't say anything to ruin the moment or to stop it but he pulled away from me regardless of my efforts.

"How long since you and Stefan last slept together?" He asked, his eyes searching mine and I could tell that he didn't really want an answer, that he was scared that it hadn't been that long ago. I placed my hand on his cheek and his eyes closed at the touch.

Truthfully, me and Stefan hadn't slept together for months because we hadn't been around each other that often. I was either busy with Jeremy, the girls, going on double dates, school or being with Damon. Stefan also claimed that he was busy with trying to control his urges or finding out Katherine's latest plan. When me and Stefan did spend time with each other we would either say we were too tired or made up another random excuse. When I thought about it, me and Stefan hadn't had sex since me and Damon had started dating.

The mention of Stefan did make me feel guilty but I was too lost in the moment with Damon to actually torture myself with the guilt. Tonight, Stefan had been so sweet just like he had always been to me but there was something off, something different about him. But now was about me and Damon and our love for each other. So, I blocked Stefan and focused on the man in front of me, that I loved dearly.

I placed my hand softly on the back of Damon's hair and pulled him slowly towards my face. Our faces were inches apart and he gently hovered his body over the top of mine, not wanting to hurt me. I knew my intentions were clear on my face when his eyes widened in disbelief and his breath - or whatever it was since he was vampire- caught in his chest.

"I haven't slept with him in months, Damon. It doesn't feel the same anymore, we both avoid actually sleeping with each other. We haven't slept with each other since this started between us. I love you, Damon and before we go into this, I want you to know that it will be you. I will choose you just like you always chose me."

And with a smile on his lips, he gently placed his lips against mine.

**Stefan POV**

I walked back home to the Boarding House when Jeremy had come to pick up Elena, Caroline and Tyler had made it pretty clear that they had wanted to be alone and so not wanting to be the third wheel, I left. I smiled of the memories of tonight, it was nice to have friends who knew everything about me but still didn't judge. It was nice to be accepted. I knew they were only accepting partly because of Elena and that I made her happy but I was still grateful all the same.

I opened the door to my home and listened for any indication of Damon anywhere in the house. I ran upstairs searching for anything, any noise but there was no sound, nothing. I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and searched the screen. 1 new message.

_I'm out, don't bother calling, I won't be back till morning. _

_- Damon _

I didn't bother texting him back, he wouldn't appreciate it anyway besides I finally had the house to myself for tonight. I smirked, she would be here somewhere, she usually was. Slowly, I opened the door to my bedroom and sure enough, there she was led on my bed, a brown leather book in her hand. Her forehead was creased as she read and took in the lines of the stories. I stood against the door frame and smiled at her, she was completely oblivious to me.

I coughed loudly and her head lifted up to face me. When she seen me she smirked and the threw the book she had been reading so carefully across the room. In a flash she was stood in front me of her beautiful brown curls cascading down her shoulders. Her delicate frame was highlighted by a black belt she wore around her angelic waist. Her skinny jeans clung to her legs and her black leather boots made them look even longer than they actually was.

"Well hello, Miss Katherine." I grinned as I wrapped my arm around her waist.

"Hello, Mr Salvatore would you care to carry on from where we left off last night?" She raised her eyebrows in question and her earlier smirk had turned into a playful grin that almost seemed childlike.

"Of course." I said remembering the night me and her had shared last night.

As soon as the words where out of my mouth she pinned me against the wall and she crashed her lips to mine.

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><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed reading, so this is Stefan's secret! I've had the end bit of this chapter planned for ages but I couldnt think of the start...Anyway, any suggestions for stories tweet me flyingfireworks or PM me. Don't forget follow me on twitter flyingfireworks it would be nice to talk to you all! I'm rambling now, so I'm gonna go .. bye! Love MidnightGirl467 xx<strong>


	3. The End Of Us

**You guys are really lucky! I wasn't going to post this tonight because I've been sick for the last three days and it was getting worse. But I was lying in bed bored out of my mind and I thought you guys could do with this. When you read this, it's not the best because like I said I've sick for a while but I haven't upated in so long, so here you go!**

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><p><strong>Elena POV<strong>

I woke up the following morning and Damon arms were wrapped around me, holding me tight to him like he never wanted to let me go. Slowly, I turned around in the bed but yet he didn't wake, he didn't even stir. His eyes were closed but there was a smile on his face, a smile of pure happiness and bliss and I realised that my face echoed the same smile.

Last night me and Damon had made love to each other for the first time since the entire affair had begun. Last night had been beautiful and more amazing than I could ever dreamed it would have been. Last night had marked a change for both of us, it had shown that we were both ready to commit to each other and we could face the rest of the world. I had enough of the lies, there would be no more of that now. Love would replace the lies in my life and then everything would go back to how it should be.

"You're staring, Elena." Damon whispered as he opened his eyes to look at me, the smile transforming into a smirk.

"Actually, I'm thinking and you just happened to be in my line of eye sight." I smirked back at him and he chuckled slightly.

"Admit Elena, you were drooling on how perfect my body had is and how I have wrecked you for any other man." He grinned as he rolled on top of me, pressing me back into the mattress.

I rolled my eyes and tried to push him off me but it was useless, he was just too strong and it didn't help in my favour that he was a Vampire either. Damon stared down at me, almost if he were trying to read my thoughts before he nodded thoughtfully and rolled himself off me. He sighed as his head hit the pillow before he looked back at with me with a expression of longing and regret.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I asked as my hand reached out to gently caresses his cheek and his eyes closed tightly at the touch, almost as if he was memorising it. We stayed like that for a moment before he gently pulled my hand away from his face and placed it next to me, his hand never leaving mine.

"We can't do it again, Elena not until you tell my brother. We both owe him the truth, he deserves that. You need to tell him about everything, Elena and you need to tell him today."

I nodded, Damon was right. Stefan deserved the truth and lying to him wasn't protecting him, it would only hurt him in the long run. He needed to know now and even this truth could push him over the edge and turn him back into the Ripper Stefan that he was so infamous for.

"I'll tell him today, I promise."

"Thank you, Elena."

I smiled and it was that smile that I had woken up with, the smile that Damon had mirrored this morning. A smile of happiness, of bliss, a smile of love. I loved Damon so much and last night had only proved it, I may have gave into my weakness but it made me realise that I couldn't go on like this. I couldn't go on with the lies and today, I would put an end to it.

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><p><strong>Stefan POV<strong>

I woke up and Katherine was no longer by my side but picking up her clothes and placing them back on her body, a frown on her face. She made sure her eyes never met mine but I could tell she knew I was awake by the way her body had stiffened at my movement. She tied her hair back quickly and placed her feet in her shoes.

"Katherine, what are you doing?" I asked.

I was completely confused. Why was she leaving? What was she doing? I jumped out of the bed as she refused to answer my question. I grabbed my jeans from the night before and quickly stepped into them. Katherine still avoided eye contact with me as she moved towards the door. I grabbed her hand and pressed her up against the wall, I didn't want her to go. I wanted her to stay.

"Stefan got off me!" She hissed still avoiding eye contact with me.

She pushed at my chest and tried to shove me off her but even I could tell that she wasn't putting enough force into it because if she really wanted me off her, I would be on the floor by now. Katherine stopped moving after a while and her arms went limp on her sides and she sighed in defeat next to me.

"What's wrong with you?" I asked my voice not failing to hiding the concern.

"This!" She said waving her hands around. "I'm tired of sharing you Stefan. I can't do this anymore. I just want it to be over with you and her. Do you love her still after all this time?" She asked me and her voice sounded desperate and needy, something I didn't think Katherine was capable of.

"No, I don't love her. You know for me it's always been you. Of course it's always been you but I can't leave her yet."

Katherine shook her head and then pushed me off her causing me to fly backwards on the bed. She walked to my bedroom door before gazing back at me, smiling sadly. Katherine gripped the door handle and I could see she was trying to remain calm and strong.

"Then I can't be with you, Stefan. I love you but if I can't have you for myself then I can't have you. I have to go." She whispered as she shut the door behind her.

"You're staying in Mystic Falls though right?" I shouted through the wooden door knowing she could hear me.

"I'll stay." I could hear her whisper and then I heard the front door slam downstairs, she was gone.

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><p><strong>Elena POV<strong>

I knocked the Salvatore Boarding House door, my hands were shaking and sweating that I quickly put them in my pockets, hiding them from view. My heart was thumping in my chest and even I could hear it, Stefan was probably thinking I was having a heart attack. I had to control myself, I had to remain calm. That was the only way to break-up with Stefan, it couldn't be messy. It had to be right and fair.

The door opened to reveal Stefan standing there with his jeans on from last night and I immediately wondered what had happened to him last night. His hair was dishevelled and he looked like he had been crying. He smiled when he saw me and opened the door even further for me to walk in.

"Hey, Elena." He smiled brightly.

"Hi, Stefan. Are you look a bit…"

"Rough?" He chuckled and wrapped his arm around my waist pulling me closer to him. I felt sick at his touch this wasn't right, this had to stop but with Stefan looking so distressed and hurt that I couldn't hurt him more, it seemed barbaric to do that to him.

"Not the word I was going to use." I giggled trying to keep myself calm.

"I'm so happy to see you, Elena." He whispered before he kissed me on the lips.

What the hell was I supposed to do now?

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><p>Hours later and I was driving back home and I still hadn't broke up with Stefan. We didn't sleep together or anything, we just sat and watched a movie. Lucky Damon didn't go home the entire day so he didn't see us. Honestly I wish that he had seen us in there because I knew now that I had to tell him that me and Stefan were still an item.<p>

I didn't even know how I was supposed to tell him without getting mad. Last night me and Damon made love for the first time in our entire relationship or affair, whatever you want to call it and I promised him I would end it with Stefan yet here I was, stringing them both of along. I was Katherine just thought made me want to throw up.

I parked my car and walked through the empty house to my room. Sure enough, Damon was there and he had laid rose petals over the bad, lit candles all around the room and he had his hands behind his back obviously hiding something. It took everything I had not to break down in tears at the sight, how could I do this? How could I break him? He looked so happy with that beautiful smile and his eyes that lit up his face.

"Hey beautiful." He whispered as he moved towards me, encircling his arms around my waist and pulling me closer to him.

"Hey." I tried my best to smile and not to give away the news that would cause his happy mood to shift.

Damon held up a rose in front of my face, it was the object that he had hid behind his back. I took the rose off him politely and pecked him on the lips quickly. Damon's eyes looked into mine almost as if he was reading my mind and I twirled the rose around in my fingers, waiting for him to guess what had happened tonight.

"You didn't tell me did you?" He whispered in disbelief.

"Damon, I went there this morning and something had upset him. He looked happy to see me and I couldn't tell him, Damon. He was already broken for some reason that I still don't know."

Damon turned away from me and slowly went around the room blowing out all the candles that he had previously lit. He nodded to himself and he started laughing to himself, this was not the reaction I had been expecting? What was so funny?

"You know I actually believe you loved me, that I was the one. All this was for you, for us to finally live as couple and not a dirty little secret. It's always him isn't it? It's always going to be him." He shouted at me and threw the candles on the floor.

The wall I had held up to prevent the tears had broke and the tears streamed down my face. I walked over to him and went to touch his face so he would actually look at me but he just shrugged my hand away from him. I could see the anger, the betrayal, the pain in his eyes, it was so clear that even I could see it. I had really done it this time, I had really damaged him this time.

"I love you, you know I do. I just couldn't tell him when he looked at me like that, Damon. You couldn't even have done it if he looked at you like that. I'm sorry. I'll tell him tomorrow, I promise." I whispered breathlessly, hoping he would forgive me for my mistake.

"Don't bother Elena. It's over. You think you're not Katherine, that you don't play us both along but you are exactly her." He stared at me, shaking in his head in disbelief as he made his way to my bedroom door. "No, scratch that. You're worse, Elena because with Katherine, me and Stefan knew we were being played along. You though, you tell us that you love us and make us feel like we're the only ones in the world."

I couldn't even process what he was saying to me, I stopped listening after he said 'it's over.' No, this couldn't be happening. Damon loved me, he wouldn't leave me, he wouldn't. He promised that he would never leave me. I couldn't move, I was frozen in shook the only thing on my body that was moving were the tears falling down my face. I didn't know what to think or even do, this was a dream surely, it was just a dream. A nightmare.

"Goodbye Elena." Damon whispered before he shut my bedroom door and left me crying in a ball on the floor.

Was this really the end of us?

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><p><strong>So is it really the end? ;) Review please be nice though. Don't forget my name on Twitter is FlyingFireworks you should be able to find me. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Love MidnightGirl467 xXx<strong>


	4. Interrogations & Confessions

**Okay so here it is! I apologise for the long wait but this story will have an end just bare with me. Here's chapter four enjoy! **

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><p><strong>Elena POV<strong>

The following morning I awoke with a start, remembering last nights horrific turn of events. The memory of me and Damon fighting was stuck on repeat in my mind and I couldn't stop it, it was like the button was jammed inside of my head. I could still remember the hurt look on Damon's face when he found out I hadn't told Stefan. He had planned a perfect night for us and I had ruined it, spoiled everything for the both of us. There may not even be an 'us' anymore now we had gone back to being Damon and Elena, separate and alone from each other. The entire fight had been my fault if I had just told Stefan that it was over then me and Damon wouldn't be over. We would still be here together, he would be led next to me and whispering words of love in my ear.

I rolled over facing my bedroom window and the sun was high in the sky like it had been for the last few days. I caressed the bed sheets with my fingers where Damon would usually lay and where I would watch him sleep because when he was sleeping he would always look so innocent and fragile, so human. The sun continued to push through the clouds and forced an unwanted spotlight on myself. Groaning I rolled back so I was facing the other side of my bedroom walls that showed no change, no harm. Nothing. They only showed nothing making them safe to stare at.

My phone buzzed from under the pillow and I grabbed at it quickly not bothering to look at the Caller ID because surely it was Damon saying he wanted to talk things over or confessing his love for me once more like he always did when we fought. I pressed the green button that read Answer and pressed the phone to my ear.

"Damon?" I whispered.

"No. It's Caroline. Why would Damon be calling you?" I could practically hear the wheels turning in my best friend's head as she tried to figure out why I so desperately wanted Damon to call me.

"I ..uhh.. Nothing. He usually calls me at this time to be annoying and wake me up." I told her the feeble excuse which I knew would only add to her confusion and make her wonder why I was lying to her. It was our rule: never lie to each other and yet here I was lying to my best friend. Caroline hated when me and Bonnie ever lied to her or forgot to tell her something important about our lives because she felt like nobody cared about her anymore. She didn't want to lose us, we were her last connection to being human.

"Okay…so I was wondering if you wanted to join me and Bonnie shopping today?" Caroline asked failing to hide the curiosity inside of her voice.

I didn't even need to think about it. I needed to spend time with my best friends and have a distraction from my pathetic love life. How did things get so screwed in a matter of seconds? _You happened._ A voice said in my head and I didn't bother to disagree with it because I knew the voice was right. Damon had left because I hadn't told Stefan of our affair, of our blissful love affair that had already ended. I shook her head, no it couldn't be the end. Could it? I had been asking myself that question all night and morning but yet I still didn't know the answer and was still worrying about the outcome of this disaster between me and Damon.

"Hello? Elena?" Caroline asked into the phone.

"Umm..yeah I'll come. Pick me up in an hour." I smiled thinking somehow that the unseen smile would convince Caroline that everything was okay.

"Okay. Bye 'Lena, love you." Caroline replied still not sounded totally convinced that everything was okay with me.

I sighed heavily. Shopping would now become an interrogation from Caroline. She already knew something was different with me back in the Grill two nights ago and by saying 'Damon' when I had answered her phone call probably hadn't done me any favours either. The only good thing about this shopping trip was that Bonnie had no clue about my odd behaviour because she was too busy wrapped up in Matt. Maybe if I just stayed around Bonnie, Caroline wouldn't say anything to me but that had never stopped Caroline before. She would interrogate with me even if Bonnie was there. Grabbing the nearest pillow I buried my head under it wishing that I had never gotten myself into this mess in the first place.

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><p>An hour later Caroline and Bonnie were outside my house honking the car horn as loudly as possible. I laughed to myself before grabbing my nearest jacket off the coat rack and placing it over my body. The car horn continued to shriek loudly on the street and I cursed under my breath before opening the house door and walking out onto the street. The wind whipped my hair around my face and I waved my hands in front of my face trying to keep my hair from falling into a mess.<p>

Bonnie was sat in the passenger seat of Caroline's car, her hair was blowing behind her and she hugged her grey cardigan tighter around her body. Bonnie waved politely at me before climbing into the backseat of the car. Caroline waved too but there was a look of suspicion of in her eyes that made me want to go back into the comfort of my home, lock the doors and avoid the Caroline Forbes interrogation.

"Come on! I want to buy shoes today Elena!" Caroline shouted.

I breathed in and out, preparing myself for whatever Caroline might ask me and preparing the pathetic excuses that I would tell her. I glanced up and down the street hoping to find Damon's figure walking on the sidewalk towards my house so we could talk things over but the street was empty. There was no movement, no sign of life besides the tedious wind and my two best friends who were waiting in the car. I couldn't allow for myself to think about Damon today because then Caroline would definitely know something was up so clearing all thoughts of Damon from my head, I made may towards the car and the awaiting interrogation.

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><p>Within half hour we were stood in the closest clothing store, buying and browsing the latest fashion trends that were now considered acceptable in society. Bonnie was in the changing room trying on a sliver cocktail dress and the matching shoes, she didn't know why she was thinking of buying it but she just assumed that she would wear it in the near future. I rolled my eyes; there was a very little chance of Bonnie wearing that soon because there were no Annual Mystic Falls events on the calendar until September. Caroline was scanning the dress rack too for the same reason as Bonnie. However I was over at the t-shirt rack trying to keep as much distance from me and Caroline who was still itching to give me one of her famous interrogations.<p>

Caroline peered over at me and I could see her blue eyes watching me closely wondering if I would give anything away by my actions. I whipped my head around and moved to a the next pile of shirts, picking random ones up and pretending to look interested them. I held a purple t-shirt up against my chest and the colour instantly reminded me of the dress I wore when me and Damon had danced last year at the Miss Mystic Falls Dance that was held at the Lockwood's Mansion. The longing for Damon that had subsided to a unknown region of my body became known in an instant. Oh god, pull yourself together Gilbert Caroline's watching you!

"Elena?" Caroline whispered from behind me.

I sighed but turned around bracing myself for the interrogation that was surely coming my way.

"Yeah?" I asked Caroline, raising my eyebrows and pretending to be completely oblivious to her suspicious look that she had all over her face.

Caroline rolled her eyes at me before adjusting the strap of her bag on her shoulder. She grabbed my arm and pulled me even further into the corner of the shop. I tugged my arm out of her grasp and she stared down at my hand bewildered before her eyes came back to meet mine. Caroline's eyes were full of suspicion and anger but mine were still trying to keep up the oblivious façade but both me and Caroline knew that I was failing.

"What the hell is up with you lately Elena? The other night at the Grill you were completely in your own world and then you left early refusing to let Stefan take you home. Then this morning I called you and you thought I was Damon! Is Stefan back on human blood or something?" She asked me her blue eyes sparkling.

My eyes widened at her words. Did she really think that was Stefan was back on human blood? Her logic did make sense because that would explain why I was distancing myself from Stefan, why I was in my own world and why I had said Damon this morning on the phone this morning. She probably thought I had said his name because I was waiting to hear news about Stefan. But how could she even think that of Stefan? He hadn't been back on human blood for so long and he was doing so well considering how addictive he is to human blood.

Biting my bottom lip I considered the two options that were in front of me; one agreeing with Caroline's accusation so I wouldn't have to deal with the second interrogation about mine and Damon's affair or secondly, do the right thing and tell her about the affair. I frowned really there was only one option and I had been fool to consider the first one. Stefan shouldn't be blamed for my wrong doings, it wasn't right or fair. I took a deep breath, getting my entire being ready to say the words that had been locked up in my system since forever.

"No. Stefan isn't back on human blood. It's me. I've bee-"

"Girls get in here! Have a look at this dress!" Bonnie shrieked proudly from the changing room.

I sighed. Great timing Bonnie! Caroline glared at me indicating that the conversation was not over, that I would have to tell her everything later. We walked to the changing room in silence neither of saying a word to each other. The more we walked in silence the more tension that formed between us and I wished for the second time today that I had never gotten into this affair mess with the Salvatores, I should have just chosen which one I had wanted.

Bonnie pulled the curtain to the left side of the changing room and stepped out. The silver cocktail dress was perfect on her, it highlighted her delicate waist and showed off her curves elegantly. The dress had a silver sash around the waist that pulled the frame of the dress even tighter around her body. The silver heels made her and her legs look taller which made me smile, Bonnie looked truly beautiful. Bonnie smiled at us and wiggled her hips earning a laugh from me but Caroline was in deep thought which made Bonnie glance between the pair of us. She raised her eyebrows and her smile turned into a frown.

"What's up with you two?" Bonnie asked us. "You've been avoiding each other all day."

"She's the one who's been hiding away from her boyfriend and saying his brother's name when she answers her phone! What if it had been Stefan, Elena?" Caroline shouted at me and I could tell she had another theory about what was going and I knew this time her theory was right.

Caroline's words brought tears to my eyes. She was right what if Stefan had been the one calling me and I had said Damon? I would have had to come up with another lie because I wouldn't have told him over the phone. I was turning into Katherine and I hated every bit of it and now that Damon wasn't speaking to me, none of it seemed worth it. Everything that I had done was out pure selfishness, I didn't want to lose Stefan yet when I tell him about me and Damon that's exactly what would happen. I would lose him and now I've already lost Damon.

"Elena?" Bonnie raised her eyebrows in confusion.

"I'm so sorry." I told them both as the tears poured from my eyes.

Bonnie glared at Caroline before placing her arm around me so I could cry into her shoulder. I heard Caroline sigh from behind me and she dropped her bags onto the floor, stepping closer to me. Caroline whispered 'sorry' into my hair before wrapping her arms around me, telling me that everything would be okay but she didn't know that. She didn't know what I had done, who I had become. I pulled myself out of their arms as a new wave of confidence washed over, stopping my tears from falling. I wiped my eyes and they watched me carefully waiting for me to say something, to tell them why I had been crying.

"I've been having an affair with Damon and I'm in love with him."

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><p><strong>Okay so what will Caroline and Bonnie's opinions be? I missed Damon in this chapter...He'll be back soon and Katherine makes a surprise return again too! This chapter was kind of the turning point for this story. Please review! xoxo<strong>


	5. It's Over Now

**I can't apologise more with the lack of updates. I really can't! I am so sorry! But here's the next chapter. I really hope you enjoy it. This continues straight after the last chapter. Thanks for staying with me and thanks for reading. x :)**

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><p>"<em>I've been having an affair with Damon and I'm in love with him." <em>

I scanned my two best friends and surprisingly out of the two of them Caroline looked more shocked at my words, her mouth was open wide and her eyes were practically bulging out of their eye sockets. Bonnie however just remained staring at me impassively like I had just told her what I was having for dinner or something. Eventually, an emotion expressed upon her little features and it was nothing but sympathy and knowing, two emotions that I had not expected when I had told them about my affair with Damon.

"How long?" Caroline asked her voice a higher octave than usual.

"Nearly two months." I whispered, my eyes glancing down at the floor not wanting to look at them in the eyes because what I had been doing with Damon had been wrong even if we did love each other.

Caroline shook her head disapprovingly before waving her hands around the air and it first I thought she was having some sort of fit until she looked at me in way that clearly showed she didn't like the person I had become. Bonnie scowled at Caroline but she just shrugged and honestly if one of them had come to me and said they were having an affair, my first reaction would be the same as Caroline's.

"Why are you even so surprised Care? You knew." I told her because she had known, she had her theories and her assumptions plus she was also the one that basically forced me to confess what I had been doing behind everybody's backs for the last two months.

"I had theories, Elena! Why Damon? Why? He's nearly killed everyone you cared about even you at one point, he fed you his blood yet you're sleeping with the guy!" Caroline screamed at me bringing another fresh batch of tears to my eyes.

"Caroline!" Bonnie hissed at her.

Every customer in the shop was now looking at the three of us teenage troublesome girls causing arguments in the corner of the shop. An old lady who had originally been looking at a cardigan was now paying attention to us like we were a TV set, she whispered something into her daughter's ear and the daughter shook her head. Great another person knew about the mistake I had made. A little girl with her mother was pointing at us with her index finger and tugging on her mother's t-shirt trying to grab her attention but the mother just continued to browse through the skirts. The shopkeeper however was glaring at all of us and all of us grinned sheepishly at the floor. The shopkeeper glared at us from under her glasses and made gesture for us to leave us quickly as possible.

"I'll wait outside." I told them but only Bonnie made nodded showing that she heard me.

I stepped outside and fog had spread around the store causing me to shiver. Where the hell had all this fog come from? Rubbing my hands up and down my arms I waited for Caroline and Bonnie to leave the shop and through the store window I could see them arguing. Sighing heavily, I made my way closer to them hoping that I would be able to hear through the glass because they could only be arguing over one thing: Me.

"You're showing her sympathy. She cheated on Stefan with Damon, Bonnie! Damon! The one who tried to kill the both of us not to mention Jeremy and every other person in this town!" Caroline screamed still waving her hands around in the air.

"I know, Caroline! I know. If I had it my way Elena wouldn't be stepping a foot near Damon! I hate him and she shouldn't have cheated on Stefan, it was wrong but this is Elena. Elena! Our best friend since kindergarten she wouldn't have done this if she didn't have feelings for Damon. She must really love him if she wants to risk her relationship with Stefan to be with him." Bonnie told her but when the shopkeeper gave them both another glare, Bonnie pushed Caroline into to the changing rooms where I could no longer here their discussion.

Twenty minutes later, Caroline and Bonnie had left the store both of them had bought the dresses they had wanted. Caroline tossed the shopping bag over her arm and insisted that the three of us go get a coffee so we could talk about what had happened in the shop. Basically, she wanted to know everything between me and Damon, why I was doing and why and when had I fallen for him? She wanted to know everything and for once I didn't feel like sharing.

The coffee shop was crawling with shoppers. Caroline made her way through the crowd, shouting at people who got in her way and found a table for four at the back of the room probably so she could make her judgements and accusations already. Bonnie sympathetically patted me on the arm and sat in the middle seat so me and Caroline couldn't get to each other if things got nasty which I was hoping they wouldn't. I didn't want to fight with my best friend plus I didn't stand much of a chance against a vampire.

Caroline dropped her shopping bags underneath the table and so did Bonnie but Caroline's eyes never left mine. The constant stare of disapproval made me feel like a criminal, like I had created mass murders around the globe. How could I change her opinion on the matter when it looked as though her mind had already been made up? Sighing, I gazed down at the table causing my hair to barricade from the gaze of my best friend.

"I'll go get some coffee." Bonnie whispered not failing to glare at Caroline before she left.

There was a uncomfortable silence that surrounded me and Caroline that seemed to last for decades, when really it only lasted for a few seconds. From beneath my hair I could see Caroline fold her arms over her chest and lean on the table between us, another thing protecting me from the Forbes Glare. Caroline sighed loud enough for the entire coffee shop to hear and I wondered if she was hinting for me to look at her.

"Elena, I'm sorry but I just don't see after everything is done you could love him. He killed your brother, he fed off me and used me as a toy. Why?" Caroline asked me, her voice nothing but a whisper.

"Because I love him, Caroline." I told her as though it was the most easiest thing to understand in the world. "The connection between me and Damon is undeniable, it's fate. Believe me, I tried so much to fight against it but it doesn't work. I love him. I know that you hate him and what I've done to Stefan is wrong but me and Damon? That's real. It's pure, passionate and everything that I want."

Sometime during my speech Bonnie had returned to us placing a cup of coffee in front of me and Caroline. I muttered a thank you and she nodded, not really looking into my eyes.

Caroline stared at me her mouth open along with Bonnie, who no longer seemed to be putting up the façade of supporting my decision. Caroline took a sip of her coffee and her teeth grazed over her lower lip like she was deep in thought. She muttered something under her breathe and looked at Bonnie for some kind of moral support. Bonnie pretended that she didn't notice Caroline's glare and took a sip of her coffee. Shrugging, Caroline folded her arms and leant back in her chair.

"Are you guys really this mad? I know that Damon has hurt you-"

"Hurt us? Elena he's tried to kill us!" Caroline shrieked from her corner.

I raised my hands up in protest so I could carry on speaking and Caroline frowned causing Bonnie to give her shut-up-now- look. Caroline ignored Bonnie's look but managed to remain quiet. Bonnie nodded at me to continue but I could still see the doubt in her eyes, the disapproving look was starting to shine loud and clear in her eyes. Was there any point of me trying to explain this to them? Couldn't they just help me and tell me that I had made a mistake but give me the advice to move on from it? Couldn't they just be my friends?

"I know that's he tried to kill you okay? I know and believe me I didn't want to fall in love with him. He was always Damon the raging psychopath with no humanity left inside him but I had judged him wrong. We all did. Damon is actually sweet, caring and he loves me. If you took the time to understand him you would understand. He was broken hearted and sure he's done some stupid things but he's never meant them. He loves me and I love him. There's nothing else that I need other than him."

I took a sip of my coffee before continuing. After all I may as well tell them everything now because it wasn't like the affair was still happening, Damon had ended it. I sighed and my two best friends raised their eyebrows in curiosity.

"There's more?" Bonnie asked from behind her coffee cup.

"There's more." I confirmed. "Caroline remember the night me, you, Stefan and Tyler had the double date? Bonnie and Matt had left early?" Caroline nodded her eyes becoming dots as she continued to glare. "Well that night I left early to go home and you knew there was something up with me, well you were right. The entire affair business was getting to me and I knew I was becoming something that I promised myself I would never be; Katherine. I didn't want to play both of the Salvatore's along. At the start it would always be Stefan…I never even considered Damon. Well Damon was there that night I got home and he told me that I had to choose, that he couldn't live in secret anymore. I told him that he was my choice and we..uh..made love for the first time. Yesterday I went to see Stefan and tell him everything because he deserved to know the truth but when I got there he looked so hurt and lost that I couldn't tell him. I went home and Damon was there so I told him and then…he…ah…he left me."

I didn't know when I had started crying. It could have been when I had started speaking about playing with the Salvatore brothers, it could have been due to Stefan but for the most part I knew I had started crying because of Damon. He had left me last night and the reality still hadn't sunk in that when I arrived home he would not be there waiting for me. He wouldn't be there with something romantic planned for me. He wouldn't be there waiting to whisper words of love and cherishment. He just wouldn't be there.

"Elena…I'm so sorry." Caroline whispered before rushing to my aid, placing her arm around my shoulder. Bonnie followed her in due course.

"This really means a lot to you doesn't it? You really love him?" Caroline asked me her eyes full of wonder of how I could love someone.

"Yes but it's over now. It's pointless." I managed to choke out the words though my hysterical sobbing.

I was right. It was pointless. Damon didn't want me anymore and right now as selfish as it sounded I couldn't bare to lose Stefan too. I loved Stefan there was no denying that but I would always love Damon more there was also no denying that either. Stefan had always been there for me in my time of need and before this affair had started I was willing to spend an eternity by Stefan's side so now I would just have to remember that part of my life. I would have to forget the love I had for Damon until I could move on from Stefan. This affair hadn't been fair to none of us involved and it wouldn't happen again. A voice in my head laughed at me because it knew that if Damon turned up at my house tonight I knew I wouldn't push him away.

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><p><strong>Here you go? So what do you think? Is it really over for Damon and Elena? Will it be as though the affair never existed? What about Stefan and Katherine? I promise you find out soon. Please review. Twitter is FlyingFireworks. Thanks so much for reading Love MidnightGirl467<strong>


	6. I Just Miss You

**Okay there's alot of change of POV in this chapter but its all necesary. I wouldn't have done it otherwise so I'm sorry if it gets too confusing for you. I promise I shall update more often now. I've started writing the next chapter and should be posted sometime this week. Enjoy the chapter. **

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><p>"Are you sure you can do this tonight?" Caroline asked for what seemed like a millionth time this evening.<p>

I readjusted the hem of my dress and glanced at myself in the mirror still not recognising the girl who stared back at me. There were no physical changes in my appearance other than the black rings under my eyes where I had been waking up in the middle of the night from numerous nightmares with all the same endings; Damon leaving me and calling me Katherine but the black rings could be covered up easily by make-up. Nothing was different about my appearance but my life, my heart and my mind were completely tainted all marked with him and my betrayal to Stefan.

For the last few days Caroline hadn't stopped calling me or texting me asking me if I was okay and if I was doing anything just so she could come over and check on me. A small part of me wondered whether she was checking up on me or just checking up on me to see if I had called or had any interaction with Damon which obviously I hadn't. The other part of me knew she was genuinely worried about me just like Bonnie was but couldn't they just leave me be? Let me deal with my guilt, my grief alone? Obviously not because somehow tonight I had been roped in to going on another double date with me, Stefan, Tyler and Caroline. A date that was all too familiar, a painful reminder of the night me and Damon had made love and how I had lost him the following day.

No one had heard from Damon ever since that night but Stefan had informed me that he was still in Mystic Falls living at the Boarding House but just remaining in his room with no one for company. I longed to see him but somehow I couldn't bring myself to whether it was because of fear of him throwing me back out of the house or the fear of finding him with someone else was just unbearable to me so I had remained in my bed unable to move because thoughts of him were just too consuming.

"Caroline, I'm fine." I told her plastering my face with the same fake smile I had been using all week. "Really, I'm fine."

"And you don't wish Damon was coming tonight?" She asked me, her bright green eyes piercing through me.

"No you were right. I need to move on from Damon…he was nothing other than a fling." I told her reciting the words that she and Bonnie had tried to encourage me to believe over the last few days.

Saying the words made me feel disgusted with myself because Damon was so much more than a fling to me. Damon was everything to me and I loved him despite what Caroline and Bonnie wanted to believe. Maybe they were doing it to try and get me to move on or maybe they were doing it because they hated Damon and all the pain he had caused them on his first few weeks in Mystic Falls. They didn't know the sweet, honest, romantic…vulnerable man that existed behind the walls he hid behind so he wouldn't get hurt. They didn't know him and they had no right to judge him.

"Does it matter that much to you?" I whispered before I could stop myself. Sighing, I turned around to face Caroline who seated on the edge of the bed staring at me with wide eyes. "Does it matter if I love Damon? Why don't you and Bonnie want me to be with Damon so much?"

"Elena, sweetie." Caroline rose from the edge of the bed and held out her arms for me to hug but I just couldn't bring myself to find comfort in her arms. "It doesn't bother me but we just don't want you to end things with Stefan because he's your epic love. I know what it's like to be with Damon, he's intoxicating, consuming and hot…" She gave a nervous laugh before continuing. "Stefan is your soul mate, Elena."

"How do you know that?" My voice getting louder as the anger practically radiated from me. "You can't tell me what to feel, Caroline. If I love him I love him. You should be happy that I love someone so much! You're my friend you should be happy for me and not encouraging me to be with someone I'm not in love with anymore!"

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><p><strong>Damon POV<strong>

The Salvatore Boarding House was empty which could only mean one thing; the latest double date with Stefan and Elena was currently taking place in Mystic Falls. It had been a week since I had ended mine and Elena's relationship…a week that honestly felt like a lifetime. She had called me several times throughout the week and every time I found myself wrestling with my heart unsure whether I should answer it or not. The last phone call had been early hours of this morning and my self-control was slipping. I missed her and everything about her, her voice, the way she smiled whenever I would tease her, the way her lips would pucker and the crease on her forehead would form whenever she worried about something that was out of her control.

The four walls of my bedroom were starting to drive me crazy but I knew if I left the house I would find myself at her door, on my knees and begging for her to take me back. I would become a pathetic state, a man who had no self-respect for himself if he believed that it was okay for the woman he loved to be dating another guy whilst she dated him. She had to see for herself what life was like without me and then maybe she could come back to me. Honestly, I hadn't thought of the alternative ending to the story where she may choose my brother probably because that alternative was just too depressing for me to even consider.

The house was empty and there was no Stefan brooding more so than he usual did and unfortunately, no Elena to accompany me like she had done not that long ago. Somehow the house seemed emptier without her presence almost if it came to life whenever she would walk through the door smiling, her hair blowing backwards because of the wind. A faint smile spread across my lips at the memory of her being here with me. Despite everything she had going on in her life and the affair when she as with me she never seemed to stop smiling, never seemed to stop loving me and I would always hold on to that. If she chose Stefan after everything we've been through the one thing I will always hold on to was that she –at some point- loved me. Elena Gilbert had loved me.

A gentle tap on the door interrupted my thoughts and for a moment I wondered whether or not it was her. No it couldn't be her she was with Stefan right now at the Grill but even with this knowledge my heart still jumped a little in my chest hoping that it would be Elena. Taking the small yet painful steps towards the door I took a deep breath and gently turned the door handle and the door swung open.

"Katherine."

Katherine placed a hand on her hips and her lips twisted into a smirk, her brown eyes sparkling with mischief as always as she gazed up at me from beneath her eyelashes. Katherine wore a black leather jacket with black skinny jeans and black boots that came just below her knee. I loved the colour black but on her it didn't seem seductive or alluring it just made look like the evil bitch she was. She looked up at me clearly stating what she wanted and what she wanted was me.

"Did you miss me?" She asked, her lips turning into the perfect pout.

"Surprisingly, no." I replied attempting to slam the door in her face but she stepped inside the household before I had a chance to. "What do you want Katherine?"

"I forget my doppelgänger is most wanted now and not little old me." Katherine said as she admired a tapestry with her fingers. She laughed to herself before turning back around to face me. "It's a little pathetic really. I mean she's just a human girl who will lose interest pretty fast. Me, however I never lost interest in you, Damon." She drawled taking a dangerous step towards me.

"Funny because you told me you never loved me, Katherine. Now get out!"

Katherine sniggered but continued to walk playfully towards me. She smirked as her finger ran down my chest as her other hand followed undoing the buttons on my shirt, slowly revealing more and more of my chest. Her brown eyes that were exactly the same as the ones I had been begging to see all week but Katherine's eyes were different they sparkled with mischief. Elena's eyes, however, were much different they were softer, kinder and every time they looked at me they were with filled with nothing other than love but Katherine's were only filled with lust.

"Come on, Damon." Katherine whispered seductively in my ear, her warm breathe on my neck that sent cold shivers down my spine as my body retracted away from her. Her finger trailed across my chest whilst she took graciously small steps around me, circling me like her prey. "It would be so easy, you know? We don't love each but we could just for one night pretend that I'm her. I would even act like her if you play nicely." Once again her lips twisted into her infamous bitch smirk.

"So what I pretend to be Stefan for you?" I turned around to look at her, returning her smirk and playing her with her own game.

For a second there was a brief flash of something in Katherine's eyes something that I couldn't quite pick up on. Love? Hurt? Pain? I didn't know what it was but I knew it stemmed from my brother. Katherine's hand remained rigid on my chest giving me just the distraction I needed to pull away and step out of her circle of webs. I stepped towards the parlour and did my buttons up lazily as I looked at her. Her eyes turned back to their usual self and her smirk had reappeared on her lips but despite all that I knew she was still hiding something.

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><p><strong>Stefan POV<strong>

The Mystic Grill's bathroom was empty and for what seemed like the millionth time I dialled Katherine's number but just like always there was no reply from the other end. Her phone would go straight to her answering machine. Damn it! Why couldn't she just answer? I knew she kept her cell phone with her at all times so why wasn't she answering? Katherine hadn't been answering my messages all week or my phone calls it was like she didn't even exist anymore and I hated every second of it. I just needed to hear her voice and even Elena wasn't helping with my loss for Katherine anymore.

For the last week for selfish reasons I had stayed with Elena and had not ended things with her like I should have done when I realised that it had always been Katherine. Elena looked so much like her and sometimes there was a trace of Katherine's laughter hidden in her laugh. Elena's eyes were too soft, too human to be Katherine and Elena was distancing herself from me but a small part of her was holding onto me but I didn't know why. She was hiding something from me but I just didn't have the energy to find out.

I missed everything about Katherine. I missed the way her eyes sparkled when she was up too no good and how much she enjoyed having fun. I missed her laugh that never failed to make me laugh, the way she would spin around and twirl her hair when she was dancing when she thought nobody was watching her. I missed breaking through the walls that she had managed to put layer after layer up since she was human. I missed the way she acted around me, how human she was when she was with me and how amazing her lips felt under my own. Katherine Pierce was the love of my life there was no doubt about it in my mind at all yet here I was on another pathetic double date with Elena.

Somehow I had managed to get roped into yet another double date. How? I didn't know. I had planned numerous excuses not to ever go on one again but still here I was. Maybe it was because Elena looked like Katherine when she asked if I was going tonight and I couldn't say no to her or maybe it was Caroline's constant obsessive pushing that I was practically forced to come tonight. Out of the two options it was probably the latter.

Cursing under my breathe I made my way back to the booth where Elena, Caroline and Tyler sat but it wasn't Elena who looked like the third wheel no it was quite the opposite, Tyler was the third wheel in the group. I slid across to my seat and he gave an appreciative smile in return. Before I could quite catch what Caroline mouthed to Elena she pulled back and snuggled into Tyler almost if nothing had ever happened. She smiled at me and with a soft sigh I smiled following through with the double date that I would rather not be involved in.

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><p><strong>Elena POV<strong>

When Stefan had finally returned from his third trip to the bathroom this evening Caroline finished ranting her feelings about Damon and I. She couldn't quite seem to comprehend that I was in love with Damon and not Stefan but she would continue to ignore the words that flowed from my lips and continued to say how Stefan and I was what she called 'epic love' when really we were nothing of the sort. Me and Stefan were nothing other than people who fell in love for brief moment in time and now I had found a greater love that I screwed up with Damon.

Words couldn't even begin to describe how much I missed the older Salvatore Brother and how many times I thought about the night where we had made love for the first time. I blocked out the next day where everything got so messed up that he left me with nothing but regret and guilt for not doing what I should have done so much earlier. I should have ended things with Stefan just like he had asked me to just like I had wanted to but how could I leave him when Stefan came to the door so upset? If I had done either option it would have made me a terrible human but at least if I had ended things with Stefan that day I would be in his arms right now as he whispered that he loved me in my ear.

The way he would hold me in his arms made me feel like I was protected from the rest of the world like nothing could harm me in the world. Everything about him just felt safe which was crazy considering he was a vampire but I knew he would never hurt me not intentionally; he loved me too much to hurt me. I missed how he would tease me constantly and then start peppering me with kisses just to get me to stop me talking. I missed how he would just give me that one look that would ensure everything would be okay and how he could make me feel like I was the only girl in the world. I loved how he just couldn't bring himself to stop touching me. I just missed everything about him because to me everything about him was home.

I would give anything to see him just to see the way his eyes would usually light up when he saw me. I would give anything to be with him and just to touch him, hold him and kiss him until I was assured that I hadn't lost him that he was truly mine like he had always promised me that he would be. Every part of me just screamed at me to get up out of my seat and go find him at the boarding house and tell him that I loved him that he was my choice. I had to see him and I would see him. I didn't care about anyone else I just wanted him.

"Stefan, I have to go. I'm sorry." I told him whilst rising from my seat and sliding out of the booth, everything suddenly sliding into persepctive for me.

Stefan shook his head as though I had interrupted him from a train of thought. His eyes scanned over me and for a second a smile came upon his lips almost as though he was having a premonition of something life changing.

"Okay, would you like me to walk you home?" He asked with his gentleman manner that no longer had the effect on me that it used to have. In fact it had no effect on me at all.

"No, it's fine. I'm just not feeling too well."

I kissed Stefan on the cheek quickly and made my way towards the door feeling Caroline's heavy gaze on me. My pace quickened once I was out of the doors knowing that Caroline wouldn't dare come find me now and cause even more suspicion to Stefan and Tyler about why I had left so suddenly. My car was parked across the street from the Grill but I had no desired journey in mind other than seeing Damon. I didn't want to show up on his door and force him to see me if he didn't want to be around me. All of this had to be his choice because I couldn't bring myself to be force him once again into this tangled web of lies. No, I would have to meet him somewhere and give him in the option of whether to see me or not.

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><p><strong>Damon POV<strong>

_Hey, it's me. _

_I don't know if you will get this but I have to talk to you. I need to see you, Damon. _

_I miss you. We need to talk. _

_Meet me on the road where you saved me from the car wreck just outside Mystic Falls. _

_Elena x _

Only a minute ago the text had been received but for that one minute I had read the message over and over again like nothing else mattered in my life. The message had raised a million questions in my head that lead to nothing other than guesses. Had she made her choice? Had she told Stefan? Had something else happened? I didn't know what any of it could mean but all I did know was that she was giving me the choice on whether or not to meet her. She was leaving me willing but did I go and see her? Or did I stand my ground just like I had promised myself to do? What did I do?

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><p><strong>Elena POV<strong>

The entire street was empty and the road was soaked with rain. No cars were on the road other mine either because the roads were treacherous or that nobody was driving on this road so late in the night other than me. Darkness and shadows erupted around me underneath the streetlight where I had parked my car just so I could know he would find me no matter what. My window was rolled down and I breathed into the air producing a cloud of white smoke from the cold air.

Damon still hadn't turned up and I was losing hope that he would actually come. It had been almost half hour since I had asked him to meet me here. A place that held one of our first memories where I had begun to understand him, to trust him and to find the man hidden behind the mask. He had saved me that night for the first time and he had pulled me from the car wreckage, saved me from a vampire that had disappeared because he had showed up. A small smile came to my lips from the memory. It was unreal how much had changed me between us during that time.

I heard the faint rumble of a car in the distance and my heart started beating loudly in my chest. Could it be him? The rumble of the engine grew louder and louder with each pressing moment but I remained in the car not wanting to get out and be disappointed that he hadn't come for me. The car turned around the bend, the darkness casting a spell over it so all I could see was the headlights. The headlights burned into my eyes and I literally felt like a deer caught in headlights. The car grew closer and closer to the light and very slowly the outline of the car's body came into view. The car parked onto the side of the road with a graceful ease before the driver slowly came out of the car, the door slamming shut behind him. I did the same and stepped out into the night air.

"Damon?" I whispered, knowing that he would hear me if it were really him.

There was flash of black and for a brief moment I wished that I had stayed in the car. This person could be anybody or anything but when I glanced up and seen those familiar beautiful blue eyes that pierced through me. I couldn't help but smile back at him. He was here. Damon was here. A smile flashed upon his face before he pressed me backwards onto my car, his hands on my hips and his lips inches away from mine. I didn't even need to think about what I needed to do because it was easy as breathing. I pressed my lips to his and kissed him with everything I had. I grabbed his hair and pushed his face closer to mine just to have him as close as possible. His hands were on my back and hair all at once pressing my body into his own.

We didn't need to talk about it. We didn't need to say we were sorry though we would later especially me. No this moment was simply about being reunited with each other and knowing that the time apart had been unimaginable pain for us both. Every kiss and touch was about memorising each other's body though it had only been a week since we last seen each other. It didn't matter. Nothing else mattered other than his lips were on me. If one of us pulled away from each other's lips the others lips would kiss down the neck, their chest, on any bare skin that they could find.

"I love you so much." I murmured as he kissed down my neck. "I missed yo- " His lips were back on mine and his hand was opening my car door.

He placed me inside the car and on to the back seat somehow not breaking the kiss. He pulled away for a brief moment to lock all the doors in the car leaving me led in the back with my ragged breathing which I should be embarrassed about but all I could think about was him. Damon came back to me and his eyes searched mine whilst he pulled my jacket slowly off my arms. When the jacket had left my body I leaned up to kiss him softly.

"I'm never letting you go, Elena." He murmured as he kissed me back. "I can't be without you."

"Damon, I don't need Stefan or anyone else. I don't care what the rest of the world say because I'm yours. Damon, I'm yours."

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><p><strong>What did you think? Did you enjoy it? In the next chapter Damon will explain why he came to meet Elena and what happened with Katherine and so on. My twitter is FlyingFireworks. Please review! Thank you so much for reading, Love MidnightGirl467<strong>


	7. Freedom

**Sorry for the lack of updates! I apologize so much for it and I hope you can forgive me. I'm sorry. I hope you enjoy the chapter. **

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><p><strong>Elena POV<strong>

Damon and I were cast under the shadows in the back seat of my car, my head pressed against his chest whilst his hand drew patterns on my stomach sending shivers through my body. Our naked bodies pressed together still, only being covered by a blanket that had been in the boot of my car. It had been used when I first got my car and I went to the Lake House, I would sneak out in the dead of night and just watch the lake letting my thoughts consuming me but the stilled waters never failed to bring me peace, hope and comfort. Now my blanket was wrapped around me and Damon after we relieved ourselves of the pressing need to just touch each other, worship each other.

"I didn't think you would show." I whispered my eyes looking down onto my stomach where his hand rested softly.

"My self –control was slipping, Elena. I missed you and I just wanted to see you then I saw your message…I had to see you." He whispered back.

Damon's eyes were filled with nothing other than need and desperation, the need for him to be near was practically radiating from him and it made my heart stop in my chest. I meant that much to someone. Damon loved me that much that he didn't just want me, he needed me with him and only lately had Stefan seemed to feel that towards me. It was a magnetic pull between two people who had nobody else to turn or simply just wanted each other to turn to in their time of need. It was beyond magical.

My hand reached out voluntarily to caresses his cheek as I planted a soft kiss on his lips. It was sweet, simple, soft but still it was magical and full of love. Damon smiled briefly under the kiss and his hands were on my back pressing me closer to him. As soon as my body had the slightest contact to his skin the kiss had become more passionate and it like his lips was slowly bringing me back to life. It was overwhelming.

"Elena…" He moaned softly into to the kiss.

"Yes?" I breathed.

"We still need to talk." He sighed softly before resting back in our earlier position. "Elena, you still need to make your choice."

"Damon. I'm here and I'm with you." I kissed his cheek again softly. "I'm here. Doesn't that make my choice clear?" I asked him smiling with eyebrows raised.

I knew he had never been first choice for anyone in his life. Katherine, the first woman he loved, had always chose Stefan and always made it clear that Damon was nothing other than someone she could have a little fun with. She played games with his head saying she loved them both which had only added to his confusion but none of that mattered because at the end of the day she would always choose Stefan even if he didn't choose her. His father only increased Damon's insecurity. His father had always favoured Stefan and constantly reminded Damon of Stefan's victories whilst only reminded Damon of his failures. Giuseppe had blamed Damon for the death of his wife, Damon's mother and Damon didn't help the matters when he refused to be the model son that Giuseppe wanted. Everyone had always choose Stefan over him and maybe that's why he had the bewildered look on his face, he doubted that someone would actually choose him.

Damon's eyes were filled with so much emotion you could almost see the doubt, the suspicion, the pain and the hope that I was implying that I had finally chose him. His eyes closed for a brief moment as he let out a deep breath he had been holding but he didn't open his eyes. No he kept them shut and didn't look at me causing my heart to sink in my chest. Did he actually doubt my love for him?

"Elena if you're joking or I'm reading into what you said…I don't know but I have to hear you say it." He tumbled over the right choice of his words but the desperation for me to love him was rung loud and clear throughout his voice.

Ever since I first met Damon I had never heard him stumble for the right choice of words. He had always seemed so cocky, so thoughtful and always seemed to know exactly what he was going to say without having to think about it. It always felt like he had a thesaurus permanently in his mind, constantly flicking through the pages to find the best word that would best fit his sentence that was about to flow effortlessly from his lips. He always seemed so sure of everything and even me but now this was different. The choice between him and his brother was something that had never been before and if it had everyone had seemed to choose his younger brother.

"Damon." I breathed, my fingertips caressing the silk skin of his cheek. "I love you so much, you're the reason I'm here today."

I held his hand in mine and slowly brought it to my lips my eyes never leaving his as I tenderly kissed each knuckle. His blue eyes were filled with both hope and pain, wondering whether they would finally have a reason to be happy and to smile without worry of the happiness fading away. I brought his hand to my chest before letting go of it completely, his palm stretched against my chest where all he could feel was the soft pounding of my heart.

"You hear that? That beats because you risked your life to save me so many times that I can't even begin to count. You brought me back to life, Damon. You brought back the girl who should have died in the car crash with her parents and yes, Stefan saved me. He made me willing to fall in love again but you…you changed everything for me. Damon Salvatore, you saved me from everything that I had been hiding from. I feel, I hope, I believe in everything because of you and yeah we fight but that's what love is. It's proving to each other that no matter comes between us we will always be there for each other. We will always find a way back to each other, we always survive. It's you. Damon Salvatore, I chose you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you." I let out a large breathe that I felt I had been holding in ever since I had met Damon Salvatore in the Boarding House when ironically I had gone looking for Stefan. It was like fate's twisted way of showing me that I wanted someone like Stefan but Damon would always be there for me in ways that would not always be able to be justified but nevertheless Damon would always be there.

Damon smiled and softly pressed his lips against mine. His blue crystal eyes were like stormy waters, the different shades of blue in his eyes showing different emotions. A smile tugged at his lips and his mouth opened as if to speak but he just shook his head completely speechless by my declaration. I mirrored his smile and moved his hand from my heart kissing his fingertips along the way as my heart melted from the way he looked at me with a sense of relief. Would he always have that smile when I told him I loved him? Would he never believe he was worthy of loving?

"Let's go somewhere today." Damon said. "Let's go back to Georgia again."

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><p>We arrived in the middle of a little town in Georgia a few hours afterwards. My cell phone lay forgotten in my bag along with Damon's who had placed his cell phone in there too. He had said 'no distractions' and he was right because I didn't want to be distracted today by anything all I wanted was to be with Damon and just enjoy this day with him. We were both having a time out similar to our first trip to Georgia where I first began to trust Damon and where I saved his life in return for all those times he had saved me. To anyone in Georgia we were just a random couple and we were no longer a vampire and his brother's girl, no we were just the couple in love like were supposed to be.<p>

The little town was similar to Mystic Falls with the small shops and houses that looked a hundred of years old. All of the flowers in the gardens were kept neat and tidy, the sun shining down on them as the flowers bathed in the sunlight growing more beautiful with each sun beam. Children played with their bikes on the road with no fear of racing cars coming speeding down the road but all of them equally excited and happy. I watched the children from the car as I waited for Damon to come back with refreshments from the shop. I smiled sadly; none of the children had anything to fear or suffered from the punishment of guilt.

"Are you okay?" Damon asked handing me a cup of coffee. His eyes searching mine to see what was bothering me.

"I'm okay. They're just so innocent." I told him as I pointed to the young children.

Damon nodded thoughtfully to himself. "Yeah and then they grow up and make all the mistakes that make them human."

"What are we doing today?" I asked him ignoring his earlier comment.

Damon reached into the pocket of his leather jacket and pulled out a piece of paper that was folded halfway. His fingertips caressed the paper and folded it back to its normal state but my eyes didn't leave his fingers, thoughts of last night and the way he touched me lingered inside my mind causing me to momentarily blush. Damon caught my gaze smirking, his spare hand coming down to my thigh and stroking me against my jeans whilst he waved the poster in front of my face. I opened my eyes wider to read the text but I couldn't concentrate as he began to place soft kisses on my neck.

"Damon…stop." I moaned.

A chuckle echoed from his lips but he obliged to my command and pulled away. He fell against the back of the driver's seat the smile never leaving his perfectly shaped face. Damon picked up the poster that had managed to fall onto to the floor and placed it on my lap. My eyes scanned the text on the poster and I couldn't help but smile.

"You want to take me to the fair?" I asked taking a sip of my coffee and turning in my seat to look at him.

"I want to take you on top of the Ferris wheel and just kiss you because I know that's your big romantic fantasy. I know you did it with Stefan but I promise you it will be better." He smirked suggestively and drove off to the fair.

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><p>By the time we reached the location of the town fair night had once again reached us and all I could think about was that a blissful distraction day would soon be over and I would be back in the confinements of bedroom planning on what I was going to tell Stefan and praying that he wouldn't be mad. I wasn't ready to go back yet but I still had a few hours left and I still had to go on the ferris wheel with the love of my life. We parked onto one of the fields that had been labelled 'Parking' before getting out into the night's air.<p>

Damon opened the car door and smiled at me taking my hand in his and leading me into the fairground. The majority of the grounds were filled with teenagers and younger couples who would occasionally stop to kiss each other, their arms around each other as they laughed without any care in the world. Seeing couples so free and in love just gave me the extra push to want to tell Stefan about me and Damon because as soon as that bit was over the faster me and Damon could move on and be free.

"Cotton candy?" Damon asked even though he was already buying me some from the counter. I couldn't help but laugh.

He handed me the cotton candy and I placed some in my mouth loving the sugary strawberry taste that tingled on my tongue. I grinned smiling up at Damon and wrapped my arms around his neck kissing him with everything I had without even thinking twice about it even if I wasn't one of those young and free couples yet I could just be the part for a few more hours. Damon pulled away from me but kept me pressed tightly against him, his eyes lingering on my lips before making a heated gaze towards my lips. My hand gripped the cotton candy bag tighter as I felt my blush flood my cheeks. Damon smiled softly before pressing a soft kiss to my cheek mouthing the words 'I love you' against my skin and my heart fluttered in my chest. How could a love this epic exist outside of fiction?

"Let's go, love." He whispered, his fingers curling around mine and leading me towards the ferris wheel.

Laughing I followed him as he practically dragged me towards the seats of the wheel. The cotton candy in my hand was long but forgotten as we took a seats and one of the fairground workers strapped us so we were safe. The seats swayed as they went up in the air and my laugh echoed around the fairground causing Damon to grin wickedly next to me. I leaned back into my seat twisting my body so I could get a better look at the perfect man in front of me. Damon squeezed my hand and pointed towards the fairground which seemed so tiny from where we were almost at the top. The seats buckled backwards and forwards again before coming to a halt at the very top of the wheel.

"I believe this is where you kiss me, Mr Salvatore." I smirked, capturing my lower lip in between my teeth.

"I believe so." Damon laughed.

Very slowly he leaned closer towards me till our lips were barely touching and I could feel every unnecessary breath that he took. Memories of last night entered my mind and everything inside me burned with need for Damon to finally kiss me, for his lips to finally touch mine. I had never felt such a compulsive need in my life so without even realizing I closed the gap between our lips and crashed our lips together. My hands wound their way into Damon's hair, tugging on the strands that fell into my grasp. Damon moaned into my lips and pulled me closer to him.

"Put her down mate!" A British tourist shouted from behind us causing us to pull apart immediately.

Damon swore under his breath but I didn't care about the British guy interrupting because there would be so many more kisses that would be left with no interruptions and that would go on forever. I didn't care about anything in this moment other than just being with the man I loved without worrying about anyone seeing us and as Damon squeezed my hand softly I didn't care about what would happen tomorrow in Mystic Falls. Right here, right now, Damon and I were free. We were normal, happy and free. We were free.

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><p>I could almost vomit at the sight of Damon and Elena kissing on top of the big wheel like love struck teenagers that thought their love was true. It was interesting how Elena and Damon were in this pathetic little town when she was supposed to be with Stefan in Mystic Falls. A sly grin emerged on my face I wondered if Stefan knew that his precious Elena was actually sleeping with his older brother. Well even if he didn't know he was about to find out. I smiled, turning around and facing the direction of Mystic Falls.<p>

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><p><strong>So guess who saw them? What did you think? What will be waiting Damon &amp; Elena when they return? I hope you enjoyed the chapter and thank you again for taking the time to read it. This story only has a few chapters left now. Please review, thank you. <strong>

**Twitter: Flyingfireworks**

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**Love Midnightgirl467 xo**


	8. We're Going To Be Okay

**I've updated! I know it's been way too long but I had exams and I had to study for them then I went to Insurgence 5 so yeah my life has been a little hectic but I'm back. I'm so sorry for the lack of updates but I'm updating regularly now because I have summer vacation. I hope you like this chapter and I can not apologise enough because it's short but I hope you enjoy it all the same. **

**Check out Somerholish's stories The Key Of Happiness & Big Bad Wolf. I beta them and she's a fantastic writer so if you like me at all you will love her. She's a close friend and I love her. **

**Anyway, thank you for reading. I'm going to shut up and let you read now. **

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><p><strong>Katherine POV<strong>

I walked into the Salvatore Boarding House with a smug smile on my face as I peered around the room looking for Stefan. I walked down the corridor slowly, the click of my heels the only sound to be heard as the smell of alcohol and blood drifted around the old walls and floors that had held many secrets of the Salvatore family. My nostrils flared as the smell of blood sent shivers down my spine causing my gums to harden in my mouth just waiting for the cliché fangs to appear along with the horrific veins on my face. I followed the smell into the parlour where Stefan was sleeping on the couch, a blood bag in one hand and a bottle of Damon's bourbon in the other.

"Well, well, well." I purred as I folded my arms and leaned against the door frame, my head tilting to peer at him closely.

Stefan jolted from his sleep causing the bottle of bourbon to spill down his shirt and for me to raise my eyebrow at him. Taking a breath, Stefan rose from the couch taking off his shirt and walked over to me placing the bottle of bourbon and blood bag on the table as he came to me. He smiled gently at me, his hand reaching out to touch me but I just stared back at him. Don't forget why you came back here, I mentally chanted over and over again in his head.

"You're back." Stefan whispered, his hand caressing my cheek.

Without thinking I turned my head and kissed the palm of his hand as he touched me. He smiled softly looking up at me with his dark eyes that were currently sparkling with love, hope and something else that I couldn't quite place my finger on. He placed a hand on my waist, his fingers curling around my hips and ever so slightly he pushed me forward and pressed my body against his. I closed my eyes, just thinking about Stefan's hands on me and how good it felt to be touched by him since I had left him a few days ago which had felt like months without him. It surprised me how much I had missed him and usually I just blocked out the emotion but being here with him so close just made me realise how much I had missed him.

"Stefan." I breathed against his hand. "I need to tell you something."

"What is it?" He whispered, his hand still on my cheek but his lips placing soft kisses on my neck making it very hard for me to think clearly.

"It's Elena and Damon." I mumbled incoherently as he continued to kiss me along my jaw and back to my collarbone.

Stefan pulled back from me immediately and his eyebrows rose quizzically, his dark eyes burning with curiosity. Every single part of him was motionless other than his eyes which were moving back and for, scanning mine for any signs of lies or a game. His hands moved down my shoulders and then to my hands slowly causing goose bumps to rise on my skin. Stefan shook his head, a small laugh coming from his lips like I had just told him a joke but I nodded slowly for him.

"They're having an affair, Stefan." I said out loud for confirmation.

I closed my eyes bracing myself for the impact of his anger, his betrayal at how Elena could lie to him whilst being with his brother. My mind drifted back to Damon and Elena on the Ferris wheel in the fairground and how they had seemed to free, so happy to be with each other out in public without worrying that someone might recognise them. Once again my shadow self had somehow managed to do better than me when it came to her love life, I had Stefan with whom I belonged but still we couldn't be free, couldn't really be happy because he didn't want to hurt her and she still had both of the Salvatore brothers at her feet. How could she be so much better at controlling her emotions and better at relationships than me? She was only eighteen years old. How did she do it?

"How do you know?" Stefan interrupted my mental ramblings about Elena Gilbert, his brown eyes glistening with confusion as they peered at me hoping for a better explanation to my unexpected news.

"I saw them together." I whispered softly, the smug look that I had when I walked in had now disappeared.

Stefan nodded to himself slowly and he leaned against the wall with his one arm, his eyes fully intent on the ancient carpet beneath his feet. He stayed like that for moments just staring at the carpet, filled with numerous colours and patterns as though they would somehow help understand why Elena would do this to him. My eyes retreated to the floor as well unable to say something, unable to come up with a comment that would either comfort him or one that would cause him to think that I didn't care. But I did care. I cared way too much because now that Elena was with Damon and clearly in love with him, Stefan would definitely know which one of us he cared for more. I would either get everything that I had been asking for the last century and half or once again, sweet Elena would get what I wanted.

"When?" He breathed, his brown eyes glistening with betrayal as they rose from the carpet that should have been providing the comfort that I should have been giving him.

"A few hours ago." I took a hesitant step towards him. "They were in Georgia, kissing at the top of the Ferris Wheel."

A half choke and a half a sigh of disbelief erupted from Stefan's lips making me wonder even more what he was thinking. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose with his two fingers, shaking his head slowly. My eyes left the sight of his tortured expressions for two reasons; one I hated seeing Stefan so upset and distraught, and the other was because I was worried that he was thinking that our affair had been one huge mistake on his behalf. My eyes fell down to my chest where my brown twisted curls fell downwards over my body, each curl igniting different memories, of Stefan and I, to take shape in my head and causing my heart to shatter into tiny pieces. Everything was going to be over now, wasn't it? Everything was going to come to an end.

"I should go." I whispered, my voice betraying my worry over everything.

My feet turned without my eyes looking back at Stefan, without looking back to see his guilty expression because he had hurt me. I slowly lifted my head up and could feel everything inside me breaking, my lungs were finding it harder to breathe and my heart was finding it harder to keep beating. My blood was rushing around my body in hatred towards the doppelganger that had gained my lifestyle, had gained my love in my absence. Everything inside me felt human and I was breaking into tiny pieces, and I knew that unless Stefan said something right now that was it. There would be no more stolen kisses, no more me pretending be Elena whenever we snuck out and someone caught us. There would be no more me and Stefan.

"Wait." The sound came so soft from Stefan's lips that I must have imagined it. It was my mind playing tricks on me so I would turn back and have one last look at the one man that would always manage to bring me back to him, the one who would always have a power on me that no one else would have.

_One step at a time. Just keep walking, keep walking. _I chanted the words over and over again in my head, my body taking in the instructions and obeying them. Each step was taking me closer and closer to the door but still I could not hear Stefan following behind me. I couldn't hear him chasing after me like I wanted him too, I couldn't hear him even moving towards me at all which only proved my theory that he clearly loved _her_ more. It was always going to be Elena even now when she was shacking up with his older brother; it was always going to be sweet Elena.

I reached the door where there would be no turning back after this. There would be no coming back from this. It would always be Elena. Slowly, I nodded to myself and raised my shaky hand to the door handle getting ready to leave behind the fairy tale that had once been me and Stefan. Pushing the handle down there was a small click and the door fell open.

"You don't get to leave." Stefan spoke from behind me and it was the last thing I heard before his lips came tumbling against mine, our bodies crashing against each other as he pressed me up against the door. His arm wrapped protectively around my small waist whilst his other hand was in my hair, pulling and tugging at the curls to get a better access to my mouth. We kissed for what seemed like ages, neither of us needing to pull away to gasp for our breath. Our pants and moans filling the air as we put everything we were feeling into the kiss.

Stefan pulled away first, his lips bruised and red from our kiss and his head was still against mine, forcing our eyes to look at each other intimately. My lips were the same from his assault to my lips but my mind couldn't fully register what had just happened. For one moment everything inside me was falling apart and I was ready to leave, as I ever could be to leave Stefan, and the next moment he was spun around, his lips crushing mine. We stood there just staring at each other neither us knowing what to say to each other but when a small smile tugged at the corners of Stefan's lips I couldn't help but smile back. Maybe, it wasn't always going to be Elena after all.

"That was not about you, okay? It's…It's a shock! I just never believed Elena would be the one to cheat on me especially with Damon. I mean, I knew there was always a connection between the both of them but I just…I don't know. I'm being hypocritical and everything but Katherine it was a shock. I don't care about Elena and Damon together but I do care about you. I love you, Katherine. I love you and this just means I can be with you. I can spend the rest of eternity with you." He cradled my face between his hands, his eyes shining with love and admiration for me, and I couldn't stop the grin on my face. "I want to be with you for the rest of my life. Forever, okay?"

"Forever." I smiled and pulled his lips back to mine once more.

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><p><strong>Elena POV<strong>

"Do we really have to go?" I asked, gazing over at Damon who was smiling as he drove, one hand on the steering wheel and the other holding mine.

"Yes, as tempting as it is to just drive away with you and never return to the forsaken town that is Mystic Falls, I can't." Damon titled his head towards me his blue eyes piercing mine. "I can't do that to my brother, Elena and you can't do that to Stefan."

"I know." I whispered, giving his hand a soft squeeze. "It's just going to be hard that's all. I don't want to hurt him but I don't want to lead him on either."

The darkness was casting shadows over the car and the streetlights were soon becoming orange and yellow blurs as we continued to drive on by at the average speed which was considered slow for Damon. He didn't want to arrive home any sooner than we needed to be because we both knew as soon as we got home the sense of freedom would vanish and we would become the dirty girl that had an unfair with her boyfriend's brother and he would become the man whore that slept with his brother's girl because no one would even attempt to understand what we felt towards each other. Even Caroline, my best friend, had a hard time understanding and wanted me to be with Stefan because we had an 'epic love' as she had described. Bonnie didn't like Damon or the idea of being with him but at least she was more respectful towards the idea than Caroline. I sighed; Mystic Falls was no longer home but only a place that resembled the mess I made.

"It will be okay, Elena." Damon whispered softly, his thumb drawing reassuring circles on my hand.

"I know but there's so much drama waiting for me when I get back." I sighed again, closing my eyes and leaning back against the chair.

"I hate seeing you like this." Damon whispered again.

I turned around on the seat so I was facing Damon, secretly thankful that he was a vampire so he was able to drive without really looking towards the road in front of us. His blue eyes met mine once again and I couldn't help but smile under his gaze. He smiled too but it wasn't his real smile, it was a smile that showed he was worried about me but was still trying to give me an encouraging smile. I squeezed his hand again trying to show him that I was okay and only a little worried about heading home but he didn't budge. A part of him was probably scared that somehow I was still going to run back to Stefan and another part of him was probably worried how Stefan was going to react and whether or not that would push me away from him. Damon was just scared that something was going to go wrong and that he wouldn't be the first choice this time and it killed me that his father and Katherine had damaged him so badly that he had no belief in himself when it came to him and Stefan.

"I'm going to be fine, Damon. I have you. How could I not be?" I smiled and leaned over to place a soft kiss to his cheek but he turned his head smiling smugly so I caught his lips instead. After a moment or two I pulled away from him still amazed that we had managed to stay on the road. "We're going to be okay. We'll survive this, we always survive."

Damon nodded thoughtfully before raising my hand to his mouth to kiss it softly much like the time where I met him in the Salvatore Boarding House for the first time. He smiled and I could tell that for now I had eased his thoughts and worries but I knew they would come to the surface again. He let our hands fall into their earlier position on his lap and I closed my eyes smiling to myself. Soon all of the lies would be over with and the truth about me and Damon would be open for all to see but it was a good thing because only then would I finally be able to move on with Damon. We would finally be able to be together. Stefan would be free and able to find someone he loved. All of this was a good thing and for the first time I actually believed myself when I said it.

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><p><strong>Katherine POV<strong>

Stefan and I were currently in his bed, holding each other tight with both our arms and the sheets wrapped around us. His head was buried into the crook of my neck placing soft kisses there every now and then whilst whispering words of love. I smiled softly and held his hand tight overwhelmed by how happy and how in love I was feeling in this moment. Stefan Salvatore wanted to be with me, he still loved me and we were now his bed smiling stupidly because of happy we were, and he was choosing me over Elena. We were finally getting to have our second chance since 1864.

"You're smiling." Stefan stated, craning his head to peer at me.

"Yes I am." I said wearing a goofy smile on myself unable to contain my happiness. "So are you."

"Yes I am." He laughed, repeating my own words and kissing down my neck and across my shoulder. "But I am smiling because I am finally with you and when Elena returns that lie will finally be over. Why are you smiling? Because last time I checked Katherine Pierce doesn't smile unless she has done something very bad and gotten her own way." He teased.

"That's not me anymore." I whispered softly for myself or for him I didn't know but I just wanted to say it out loud as confirmation. I would always be the girl that had manipulated and schemed to get her own way but I was still the human girl that had loved too easily but right now here with Stefan, I felt like the human girl. I felt loved and desired and I didn't need to take my anger out on anyone else. I didn't need to hurt or kill anyone because I was finally with the person that had destroyed all my walls that had put up. I was finally with the man I loved. I was finally able to allow myself to come become me again.

"I know." Stefan whispered. "You're the girl that I fell in love with and I don't want you change."

He didn't want me to change. Stefan didn't want me to change and he loved me. He actually loved me with my flaws and all the baggage that came with me. My heart swelled with pride, happiness, love and admiration for the man I was currently lying in bed with and my lips curled into a big massive school girl grin. Nothing was going to take this away from me now and no one was going to destroy what me and Stefan had, nothing was going to come between us now. Piece by piece, bit by bit, everything seemed to be falling into place. Everything was going to be okay.

"We're going to be okay." I mumbled, kissing Stefan's hand before turning my head to face him.

"We're going to be more than okay." Stefan laughed, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

And I believed him; we were going to be okay now. Yes, we still had to tell Elena and Damon about us and vice versa but then we would be free to do whatever we wanted. We would have the freedom that Damon and Elena had in Georgia. We could go out in public without me having to pretend I was Elena if someone saw us and we could do petty human things like holding hands in the movies, sharing fries at the diner or whatever but most of all we could go wherever we want without having to be held back because now we had each other. We were always going to have each other.

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><p><strong>What did you think? I know it's short but I didn't have anything else to write for this chapter. This story is coming to the end now guys as you can probably tell and there's only two or three chapters left. I hope you liked it.<strong>

**Twitter & Wattpad: FlyingFireworks **

** : FlyingFireworksxo **

**Please review!**

**Love Lauren (aka MidnightGirl467) xXx**


	9. Take Me Back To The Start I

**This is part one and the second one will be posted soon I promise! I hope you enjoy this chapter as we've almost come to the end of this story but I will do all my thank you and big speech in the last chapter. Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy the chapter.**

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><p>"Elena!" Caroline shrieked from the other end of the phone. "Where the hell have you been?"<p>

I was sat on the bed my phone pressed against my ear whilst I looked at myself in the mirror pretending to listen to Caroline give a lecture from the other end of the phone. Upon my arrival back in Mystic Falls, I had switched on my phone to find three missed calls from Bonnie, ten missed calls from Caroline and only one text message from Stefan. The text message was what had made me nervous because shouldn't he be more worried about where I was than anyone else? Or had he found out about Damon and me? It was an awful thing to think but there was a small part of me that sort of hoped that he knew about her love affair with Damon so I wouldn't have to hurt him so much when I told him, so he wouldn't look at me with those tortured brown eyes when I broke his heart.

"I was gone for a day, Care." I sighed, playing with the frayed edge of the blanket.

"And you didn't think to answer your phone? You didn't even go home last night." Caroline let out a breath before continuing on how disappointed she was about my behaviour. "Please don't tell me that you were with Damon because seriously what the hell is wrong with you, Elena? He's Damon! Damo-"

"So what, Caroline?" I said, cutting her off as the anger consumed me. How could she be like this? "He's Damon. Don't you think I know about his mistakes? Yes, he's hurt me plenty of times in the past and I know what he did to you was unforgivable but do you forget how many times he's been there to save our lives? He's always been there whenever I needed him, Caroline. He's Damon Salvatore and I love him more than anyone else in this world. So yes, I will be with him because I don't want to be with Stefan! If you don't like the idea of me and Damon then you don't have to but you might want to get used to the idea because it's going to happen."

And before Caroline say any other word to me I ended the phone call, throwing it by my pillows. What happened to as long as my friend is happy I don't care? Sighing, I laid back on the pillows wondering when my life got this so far out of line. I had never been one of those girls to play the field and have loads of guys chasing after them because somehow it all felt wrong. It didn't feel right to me. I loved the relationships where there was romance, love and strictly one on one but here I was in a relationship with brothers. It was never supposed to get this far. It shouldn't have happened but it did.

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><p>"<em>Stefan?" I called as I walked into the Boarding House that seemed filled with eerie silence that it always did. Shrugging off my jacket, I placed it on the coat hanger before closing the door behind me. "Stefan? Are you here?"<em>

_My footsteps were loud on the carpet, scratching at the fine material as I walked towards the staircase. Surely, Stefan was here. Where else would he be? But there was a small part of me that hoped that he wasn't here, that Damon was here instead. It had been a while since me and Damon had been alone together which was probably a good thing since I didn't want to ruin my relationship with Stefan but at the same time I missed Damon. I actually missed his snarky comments, the way he did that eye thing and the way he looked at me as though I was the most desirable thing on the planet. I missed everything about him._

"_He's not here." Damon said coming in from the parlour with a glass of bourbon in his hand. "I think he's gone to scare the villagers." _

_A small laugh escaped his lips as he took a sip of his precious bourbon and the entire time my eyes didn't leave him. I just sort of stared at him, chewing on my lip as I watched him and took in everything about him. I could feel my hungry eyes take in his black buttoned t-shirt with the sleeves rolled up, the way his lips pressed against the glass as he took a sip, the way his black hair seemed to look so good even though he probably just rolled out of bed with that hair and how his eyes seemed to be discreetly taking everything about me in the way I was doing to him. Blushing, I dropped my gaze to the floor. _

"_I'll just come back later." I swallowed, turning around needing to get out of this house as quickly as possible because if I spent one more minute with Damon alone I wasn't sure that I would be able to control my feelings for him. _

_The thing between me and Damon was complicated, hugely complicated because I was dating his brother and I had hated Damon when he had first arrived and I would have gladly have seen him leave Mystic Falls behind but right now I couldn't imagine this place without him. We had gone from hating each other, to trusting each other and eventually becoming friends but for Damon there was always something more for him. He loved me, I was sure of that and there was a small part of me that often wondered what it would feel like to be loved by him, to spend days with him and be in a relationship and there was a small part, that I often ignored, that wanted those things with Damon. Damon and I could never happen, he had caused too much pain to those who I loved and to let myself love him would only bring more pain for me and I would just hurt Stefan. I couldn't do that, Stefan was my soul mate. _

"_Elena?" Damon called from the parlour, my attention snapping back into reality. _

"_Yeah?" I called back not wanting to go back into the parlour unless I had to because there was tension in the room with Damon whenever we was alone, a tension that seemed to push us closer and make me want to pull him close. It was like everything that I did would involve him. I breathed in Damon like a good poison that made me smile, made me feel loved which completely baffled me because I was in a relationship with Stefan but there was something different about Damon, something dangerous but sweet, something that called me desperately. _

"_You could wait in here if you like." He whispered, now he appeared in the hallway with me and his blue eyes were burning with eagerness. It had been weeks since we had been alone in the same room without Stefan and that wasn't fair to him but being alone with him wasn't fair to either of us but how could I refuse him? _

"_Okay." I whispered back, my self-control slipping whilst my feet remained fixed on the floor. My eyes swept over him once more and oh God, he was attractive. He was everything, everything. No, Elena, no, remember Stefan? I mentally slapped myself. I had to leave. I had to get out of here._

"_Don't…" Damon whispered, taking a step towards me. "Don't you dare look at me like that. You can't look at me like that, Elena."_

"_What are you talking about?" I asked, pretending I was getting angry at his accusations and acting dumb. Ignorance was bliss. Ignorance was bliss. _

"_You." He took another step towards me. "You look at me like you actually have feelings me, the look you give me all the time when you let yourself feel for five seconds." Another step. "You look at me as though you're attracted to me, as though I'm everything to you and I'm not so stop looking at me like that. If this had been anyone else I would have kissed you, would have taken you already but I can't because it's you. It's you, Elena and I can't risk losing you and I don't want you to end up doing something you regret. So you need to stop looking at me like that." _

_My eyes were wide at speech and all I could think about was that he would have kissed me already and he would have taken me already if I had been anyone else. My self-control was completely gone now as I took another step towards him, images of kissing him running through my mind but at the same time I was mad at him. He didn't want me to look at him like that then he shouldn't look at me like it. Whatever was happening to us wasn't entirely my fault._

"_This is your fault!" I shouted at him, taking a step towards him until there was hardly any space between us now. "You shouldn't have made me want to look at you like this. You should have stopped with your flirting, with how close you could come to me, and you shouldn't look at me with your eyes as though I'm the only thing holding you to this earth. I don't want to look at you like this. I have a boyfriend, your brother or do you forget that in your little game?"_

"_This isn't a game to me." He held his hand up and took a step closer to me; his face lowered into mine and mine stretching up to meet his stare. "Do you ever think that I look at you like that because you are the only thing holding me to this earth? I don't want to look at you like this, I don't want to be in love with my brother's girl but I am, I'm in love with you and I can't change that. Call me selfish or whatever you want but I can't change that I want to be with you and that I love you more than I have ever loved anyone in my entire life."_

_My chest was heaving now. I didn't expect to hear that. I didn't expect him to tell me that he loved me or any of it. I knew he loved me but to hear it from his mouth like this was something that had never happened before, he had never told me before. His blue eyes were glistening with anger and something else; want? Maybe. I swallowed tightly in my throat. What did I say to that? What did I tell him? _

"_You don't have to say anything." He whispered, shaking his head and he almost turned around before I placed my hands on either side of his face. There were a million reasons not to do this but then were also a million reasons to do it but it was wrong…it was wrong, so wrong. I dropped my hands from his face and turned around walking quickly to the door._

"_Elena." Damon breathed behind me, his breath warming the back of my neck and sending shivers down my spine._

"_I can't." I whispered, my chest still heaving as my heart raced in my chest louder than it ever had before. _

_But Damon didn't listen to my words, he twirled me around in his arms and pressed me against the door and now his chest was heaving too. I should hit him, smack him until he left me alone but I didn't. I just leaned against the door hoping that Stefan didn't come home anytime soon. Damon's lips were inches from mine now. _I would have kissed you, would have taken you already…_those words were on repeat inside my head and I just wanted it. I wanted him._

"_Kiss me." I breathed._

_And he did, his lips fell against mine as we kissed each other the way a kiss should be, filled with passion, lust and love. Our hands were wrapped around each other, clinging to each other in desperate attempts to get closer to each other and our breathing had turned to pants but neither of us pulled away. I smiled against his lips for something that was supposed to be so wrong it had never felt so right. _

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><p>And now here I was staring at the back of the very door where Damon and I had shared our very first kiss, the door that held so many secrets of generations of Salvatores and those who had resided in the Boarding House. I took a deep breath and let it out. It was time to tell Stefan about my affair with his brother, time to tell him something that would probably crush him. I felt sick to my core. Why had I done this to him? I should have told him as soon as I had kissed Damon the night I had been waiting for Stefan to come home. I didn't regret that kiss because it had awakened me to finally feel and be with the person I wanted to be with for the rest of my life. The only thing I did regret was not telling Stefan sooner. I should have told him.<p>

"I'm sorry," I mouthed to the open air as the wind brushed past me whistling its song as it did so. I raised my hand and gently knocked the door knowing that wherever he was he would hear it.

The door opened revealing Stefan looking slightly dazed as though he was expecting to see someone else. His hair that was usually styled was quite messy as though he had only just rolled out of bed. Stefan's dark green shirt was slightly to the side and his jeans were wrinkled, when he yawned he only approved my theory that he had just gotten out of bed or a nap of some kind. I tried my best to smile when his eyes opened a little wider to take me in.

"Elena?" He asked, slightly confused.

"Hey, can I come in?" I asked pointing inside his home, the quicker I did this the sooner it would be over, right? It was like ripping off a band aid right? Right.

"Sure." He opened the door wider for me to come in and I walked into the house, my heart hammering against my rib cage and my hands starting to sweat as I braced myself for what I was about to say. I sighed softly, my eyes fixed on the carpet underneath my feet as I walked into the parlour.

"Elena." Stefan whispered softly. "I have to tell you something."

"No, Stefan, wait. I need to tell you something…something about me." I whispered, our brown eyes meeting as I continued. It was now or never. "Do you remember a few weeks ago when you went out hunting and you came home and I was waiting for you with Damon but then I left all of a sudden? Do you remember that I told you I was sick? Well, I lied. Stefan I wasn't sick…well, not in the literal sense. I was sick of feeling guilty because of what I had done to you. I cheated on you with Damon that night and I didn't stop…cheating you." My gaze had fallen to the floor and small tears were running down my face but I owed him the truth so taking a deep breath I carried on. "Stefan, I'm so sorry. I've been having an affair with Damon."

My last words were broken sobs as I realised the truth of what I had done and who I had hurt in the process. Why had I let this carry on for longer than I should have done? Why hadn't I listened to Damon and just ended this sooner? Why did I carry this on? I had been selfish, too wrapped up in not hurting the ones around me but I hadn't realised that not telling them for so long would only destroy them further. Selfish. I had been selfish.

Swallowing thickly in my throat, my eyes left the carpet and trailed up to meet Stefan's brown eyes again. He hadn't said a word or moved since I had spoken perhaps he was in shock or something. I didn't know. What I had expected to see was Stefan's eyes filled with tears, his eyes completely broken and looking at me as though I just stepped on his heart and shattered it but that didn't appear to be the case. Stefan wasn't any of those things. His lips were curved into a small smile like he was trying not to laugh at an inside joke and his hands were behind his back, the smallest glint in his eyes that indicated ….happiness?

"Elena, that's what I need to talk to you about." He smiled sympathetically like I was a small school child that didn't understand something. He raised his hand and gestured to the chair where I sat with my hands in my lap, looking up at him curiously. Stefan smiled briefly and sat down in the chair opposite me, he crouched forward with his hands clasped together unsure of what to say next.

"Katherine told me about you and Damon. She saw you in a town just outside Georgia with him, kissing him at the Carnival." I was about to say something but Stefan shrugged and I remained silent. "The thing is you're not the only one that should feel guilty. You have been with Damon and I've been with Katherine."

Katherine? A part of me wanted to be hurt and the other part of me rejoiced because I hadn't hurt him, I hadn't destroyed him like I thought he would. Stefan had been with Katherine whilst I had been with Damon. I should be mad, I should be throwing things at him but I had done the same thing to him. And honestly, I wasn't mad at him I was glad Stefan had someone. I was glad that he could be with someone else now and live his vampire life with her but most importantly I was glad he was happy.

"I shouldn't be happy for you but I am." I smiled at him. "I'm glad that you have her, Stefan."

"Thank you, Elena." Stefan smiled back at me and for the first time I realised that I could do this, I could be friends with Stefan and that was how destiny had hoped it to happen. We were supposed to be good friends and nothing more.

"I still owe you an explanation." He whispered, looking back at me and the smile fell from both of our faces. "I should probably start with how it happened."

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><p><strong>Okay so what did you think? Next chapter will be Stefan &amp; Katherine's affair and then there's the epilogue! I know right? I'm sad. Thank you reading. <strong>

**Follow me on Twitter: FlyingFireworks**

**Please review, thank so much guys.**

**- Lauren xXx**


	10. Take Me Back To The Start II

**Okay so here's the last update before the epilogue which I have for you too! It's to make up for the lack of updates I have been giving you guys because honestly you all deserve better. I really hope you like this chapter, it's Stefan side of how it all begun with Katherine. It's not as long as the first part but it tells the story all the same. Anyway, here you are! **

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><p><strong>Stefan POV<strong>

The truth was I didn't really know how it started, how it happened but all that I did know was that I was tired of fighting my feelings towards the woman that had both destroyed my life and made it worth living. The memory how of the affair started was like small fragments of a huge puzzle in my mind and as I glanced in the eyes of Elena, the very image of Katherine, the small pieces of the complex puzzle was starting to come together and form the picture. My eyes remained fixed on Elena's in front of me where she sat patiently waiting with her arms folded across her chest for me to give her the explanation but to give the explanation I needed to remember.

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><p><em>It was one of Mystic Falls traditional rainstorms, the rain pouring from the skies as if every tear ever shed was coming back to earth and to punish the people that still lived, punishing those who weren't hurt or unhappy and to remind them that those rainy days were never too hard to find. The wind came from all directions, pushing and shoving at those who chose to walk around in the weather. Unfortunately I was one of those walking around in the weather because I had been under a false apprehension thinking that it had only been raining and that it would be the perfect opportunity for me to go out and hunt but the harsh weather was making it very difficult. <em>

"_Having fun there?" A woman's voice came from behind me. "I'm sure the puppies have gone into hiding."_

_My head turned around sharply to find the woman behind the voice but all I could see was a black umbrella, long fingers wrapped around the handle as the woman leaned against the tree. Her long legs covered in black trousers, her high heeled boots coming to the tops of her knees and her blue shirt hidden behind the black leather jacket that hugged her body in all the right places. Brown curls cascading down across her shoulders and in front of her chest. The umbrella cast a shadow over her face so you couldn't see her eyes but only a smirk, a smirk that I would recognise anywhere. _

"_Katherine." I nodded towards her, walking slowly towards her as the water dripped from my hood and the rest of my clothing. _

"_Stefan." She smiled remaining against the tree._

"_What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice sounding husky more so than I had expected. _

"_I figured you would need this." Before I could ask any more questions she threw me a bottle of animal blood and I caught it with my hands. How would she know I would need this? Sensing my expression, she rolled her eyes and continued, walking towards me with her umbrella in her hand. "You always come hunting during the rain and I was walking around –"_

"_In the forest?" I raised my eyebrows at her, waiting for her to give away a flaw in her game. What was she really doing here? _

"_Honestly?" She whispered and I nodded in confirmation, the umbrella now over both of our heads. A small sigh escaped her lips and she looked out into the forest, her eyes glazing over the droplets of water that hung on the edge of the grass. Katherine's eyes no longer had the mischievous sparkle that they always had but something else, something that almost seemed human which caused me to clutch the bottle of animal blood tighter in my hand._

"_I was in the forest looking for you and I knew the weather would be too bad for you have a decent meal so before the weather got to bad I managed to get you this." She pointed to the bottle of animal blood in my hands as her eyes came back to rest on mine. "I came to say goodbye, Stefan. I realised there is no place for me here any more and I also realised that I'm never going to be able to get you back. You're with Elena and you are happy with her so I'll take a step back and go. I'll always be in love with you, Stefan and I will never be too far away from you."_

_It took me a minute to register what she was saying and to fully understanding everything that she meant behind the words she had spoken. Katherine was going to leave Mystic Falls behind and me with it, leave me with Elena because I was happy with her. I shook my head. Was this another one of her games to finally get me by her side? Somehow when she spoke and just the way the she held herself seemed to suggest otherwise because right now I had never seen Katherine Pierce look so human in all the time that I had known her. Her voice had lost the drawl that always emphasised the hidden sarcasm behind her words, her eyes were less dark now and more human and she held her head higher as though she had just lost the one thing that burdened her for her entire life. _

"_You're in love with me?" I asked her, staring at her with what I know to be the blankest expression that I could manage. "You're actually picking me over Damon."  
><em>

_"Yes but you already knew that, Stefan." _

_I did already know that but it never hurt to hear it but now it was time for something Katherine should hear, for a burden to lift off my shoulders. I sighed, dropping the animal blood against the wet grass beneath my feet as I closed the space between me and Katherine. It was now or never because I knew that if I let her leave right now despite her words about her not being gone forever, I knew that she would be. However if told her how I really felt I would also lose Elena, the girl that I was with right now and the girl that I supposedly loved._

_Katherine's breath was soft against my lips now._

Think of Elena.

_Mine and Katherine's bodies were pressed against each other now neither of us saying a word, both of us waiting for me to speak. _

Do you really want to go there? _A voice said in my head, a voice that made sure I made all the right decisions. _Once you take this step there is no going back…

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><p>"A part of me knew that it was wrong that I shouldn't be doing this, that I shouldn't have done it because of you. I knew you deserved more, Elena." I told her after repeating the story back to her. So far Elena had not said a word to me and her eyes remained distant from my speech.<p>

Elena surprised me when a chuckle fell from her lips and her eyes had suddenly lit up with humour, she placed a hand over her mouth in attempt to cover her laughter. I glanced at her curiously, what did she find amusing? Was it shock or did she genuinely find something amusing from my story? My head titled to the side as if that could help me read her thoughts but Elena shrugged me off, her hand waving in the air.

"I'm sorry," She said. "It's just that – it's not really that funny - when you were cheating on me I was cheating on you. It was the night of the big thunderstorm and that's why it had taken you so long to come back or so I had figured. It's really not that funny but I think I'm laughing from the shock of it all."

I smiled sympathetically at her because honestly it had been a lot to get in within a few minutes. Elena had arrived to tell me about her affair with Damon to find out that I was also having affair too. It was a strange coincidence and even I, a vampire who had lived for hundreds of years, struggled to get my head around the entire conversation. There was probably still so much more to tell, so many more secrets to share with each other about how we had lived a lie for so long but as I glanced at Elena I knew that we both didn't have to say a single word to each other, there was an understanding between us. She knew as well as I did that we no longer had to live this lie and that there was no point in talking about it because we had both moved on, both of us with the people that we had truly belonged to.

"I should go." Elena smiled, nodding at me. "I don't have to hear any more."

I nodded and stood up at the same time as her and Elena did something surprising; she hugged me. I remained lifeless under her arms for a moment because it seemed even more bizarre for this conversation to end in a hug. Was this how Damon had felt when Elena would hug him? Confused as to why she would be hugging him? Confused on why he deserved to have her arms around him at that moment in time? Despite my confusion I hugged her back for a brief second before we both pulled away, her smile still on her face when she looked at me.

"Maybe this was how it was supposed to be." She whispered softly.

"Maybe."

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><p><strong>Elena POV<strong>

We both walked to the door in silence neither of us saying word but the occasional smile at each other seemed the only thing that was fitting. The floorboards creaked ever so quietly underneath our feet and that was the only sound that came from us. Stefan walked in front of me and opened the door letting out a sigh of relief as he knew this awkward moment would soon be over between us. I smiled at him as he opened the door, the wood creaking as though it hadn't been opened for hundreds of years but as he opened the door the situation had got made a hell lot worse.

"Damon." I breathed unable to control myself.

"Well, well if this isn't awkward." Damon whispered a small smirk on his face as he looked between me and Stefan.

A small smiled curved the corners of my mouth quite unexpectedly and so did Stefan because neither of us felt the need to roll our eyes at Damon right now, didn't feel the need to point out that he was acting much like a naughty teenager that wanted to see a fight unravel because we simply didn't care. It was like a weight had been lifted off both of our shoulders and taken away somewhere where no one would ever find it again, deep and buried underground. Damon glanced between the both of us, his eyebrows raised slightly and his mouth hanging open much like a child that just walked in on his father dressed up as Santa for the first time.

"It's a long story." I told him, grinning knowingly towards him just so he kept the cute confused expression on his face for a moment longer.

"All you need to know is that I know, brother." Stefan said, his pointed teeth showing in his smile as he regarded his brother.

"You know what exactly?" Damon said cautiously, taking a step closer to the door and placing his keys on the table by the coat rack.

"About you and Elena," Stefan said, nodding at the pair of us as if he was a proud parent.

"And," I said in a soft singing voice. "I know about him and Katherine."

"You and Katherine?" Damon's eyes practically bulged out of his head at the statement, his eyes looking at his younger sibling in disbelief. "You cheated on Elena with Katherine?"

"Damon," I warned him, my eyes boring into his telling him not to push the subject even if he was just trying to look out for me and protect me. "It's okay."

Damon thoughtfully nodded before the smile came back on his face, the dimples forming once again on his cheek and the light to reappear in his eyes. He walked past me and Stefan and into the hall with a usual strut in his walk. When he realised that Stefan and I were not following him, he turned around with his black leather jacket swinging around him. Damon tilted his head to the side and held out his arms in a welcoming gesture, much like a king would greet his courtiers.

"So does this mean we're all going to end up double dating?" He asked, grinning.

I remembered his words from the first night that we had made love, the night that he said that it was time to make my decision. He had wanted to go on double dates with me and show me off to the world and now he could actually do that, I smiled. We could actually do things now that other couples could do because we were no longer a dirty secret. We had finally moved on.

"Maybe," Stefan laughed awkwardly. "Give it time, brother."

And the crazy thing was we actually had time…

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><p><strong>So what did you think? You only have the epilogue left... wow, that makes me so sad but I will give all my thanks in the next chapter. I really hoped you enjoyed this second part and thank you for reading. Please review! xox<strong>

**I've changed my Twitter: iansgrande ! So please if you want to contact me on there that's the username to do it with, haha. **

**tumblr: aprincesstothepublic **

**Thank you for reading! **

**Love, **

**Lauren xXx **


	11. To The Future

**So here it is the final ever update of Living A Lie. I can't believe I'm actually posting the epilogue to this story and I am so grateful to all of you that have read, favourited, added this story to your alerts and reviewed. You have no idea how much you guys make me smile and how much I appreciate your dedication even when I've been annoying with the lack of updates. **

**I also want to thank those of you that read this story and have recommended it to others or even tweeted about it because that just brightens my day so much more. Thank you so much to all those who have added me to their Favourite Author's List or have put me on their Alerts because that it is just crazy that you want to know when I am updating or publishing. Honestly, there are no words that can describe how much I love you guys as cliché as it sounds but it is genuinely true. **

**What I love most about this story is that if you read through the chapters you will see how I improved as well and I'm glad that I am improving, making myself better with each story that I write because that is what I want. **

**Anyway, I will continue this after you read the chapter and if you are unhappy with the ending I will probably change it because I am not entirely sure about it myself. **

**Enjoy! x**

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><p>"Damon…" I moaned as he showered my neck with kisses, laughter erupting from my mouth. "Damon, baby…we have to get ready."<p>

He groaned against my skin and used the hand he had on my stomach to keep me pressed against the bed. We had found ourselves in compromising positions for weeks now whether that was because we were no longer a dirty little secret or just that we couldn't keep our hands off each other, I wasn't sure. I suspected it was probably both. Even Jeremy had somehow had the misfortune to walk in on us on a few occasions much to Damon's amusement.

"Can't we just stay here where I can have you all to myself?" Damon whispered, his powerful lips now descending on mine, forcing me to kiss him back because I was completely powerless against him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer to me, my hands knotting in his hair.

No. Elena. Stop. I had to stop. I had to get ready. I had to get ready for the double date that Caroline had organised in attempt for all the couples to be together and so she could see, most probably, that Damon was treating me right and that I didn't have any bite marks on my body. Tonight would no doubt be extremely awkward. It would be me, Damon, Stefan, Katherine, Tyler, Caroline, Matt and Bonnie and somehow we were all linked romantically even if it had been a dare or stupid drunken thing. We all had a history and tonight we would be together, all of us. Damon's idea of staying in bed all night was actually starting to sound more appealing but then Caroline would only keep calling or even show up at the door to demand we go the Grill. There was no other choice.

"Damon, we have to go." I mumbled in between kisses, turning my head and my hands sliding down to his chest to try and throw him off me but of course he was too strong. "Damon, come on, you wanted this not so long ago. Remember? You wanted to go on a double date with Caroline and Tyler and show me off to the world?"

Damon groaned and rolled off me, his black shirt creased and his hair all ruffled whilst his blue eyes roamed the ceiling in deep thought. His hand rested on his forehead as though he was from another time and had just received devastating news. I stifled a giggle, my teeth capturing my lip which only caused Damon's blue eyes to flicker over at me and close abruptly.

"Elena, honey, if you want to have any chance of leaving this household then I just suggest you stop biting your lip because otherwise I will tie you down on this bed and never let you leave." His voice was husky, pained even.

"Sorry, baby." I smiled, kissing him softly on the cheek before jumping off the bed and heading off towards the shower. "But I promise you if you are on best behaviour tonight you can keep me in this bed as long as you want."

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><p><strong>Katherine POV<strong>

I glanced in the mirror at my reflection and no longer saw the girl with the evil twinkle in her eye, the girl that had fought her humanity and heart on so many occasions that I no longer remembered half of them, the girl that had been through so much even as a human. No, the sad look hidden behind my eyes were gone and were replaced with a twinkling glow not of mischief but of love instead. Everything seemed happier but there was still the same look of a survivor written on my face because that was one thing that I would never lose. I was Katerina Petrova, a survivor.

"Hey, you okay?" Stefan asked, placing his head on my shoulder and looking into the mirror but his eyes weren't glancing at his own reflection but glancing at me instead. "You know, we don't have to go tonight if you don't want to. I can understand if you want to stay in."

"No." I shook my head. "I want to be with you, Stefan. I don't want to hide in this house from everyone anymore plus these people are your friends so I should attempt to get to know them."

Stefan smiled, kissing my cheek politely and wrapping his arms around my body. I closed my eyes and welcomed the familiar and comforting feel of his arms around me. Tonight would be fine, Stefan would be there and he wouldn't let anyone hurt me. I let out a small breath that I had been holding but Stefan realised and squeezed me tighter in his arms, assuring me that tonight would be okay. He would be there for me and that was all that mattered. Tonight was about letting go of being the secret that we had been, letting go of the affair, letting go of the past and looking forward to the future.

* * *

><p><strong>Elena POV<strong>

I walked into the Mystic Grill, the jukebox playing in the corner and the stale smell of alcohol filling my nostrils as I entered. It was a weird feeling being back at the Grill considering the last time I had been here I had left Damon back at the Salvatore Boarding House to come here and go on a double date with Stefan and the rest of my friends. I smiled, it was a good weird though because I didn't feel guilty about being here with the wrong person anymore. I was here with Damon and that was all that mattered. I was with the person that I loved. I was with the right person now.

"You sure about this?" Damon asked, tugging on my hand a little.

Surveying the room, my eyes landed on Caroline, Tyler, Matt and Bonnie who were all drinking soda and laughing about something uncontrollably, something that would only be just a memory tomorrow. My smile continued to grow as I realised tonight I could join them again, I could take part in the conversations again without my mind drifting off to Damon because he would be here with this. I could be like my friends again. I could be free with no guilt or extra weight on my shoulders.

"I've never been so sure about anything." I leaned up to softly peck his lips before there was a small cough from behind us.

Damon and I turned our heads sharply to see Stefan and Katherine stood hand in hand in the doorway, trying to get past us. Stefan was smiling awkwardly between the two of us whilst Katherine looked like she was going to run to the bathroom to vomit at any moment's notice. I tilted my head to her and tried to give her an encouraging smile because tonight there would be no sarcastic comments, there would be no trying to get at each other or trying to hurt each other. No, tonight would be civilised and tonight all of us were going to have to focus on friendship because it was the only way we would all make it through the night. Tonight would be about the future, the guilty and lying free future.

"Shall we?" Stefan asked, raising his eyebrows and gesturing with his spare hand towards the table.

"We shall."

And we all took our seats, all of us glad that we were no longer bound by our lives and secrets. All of us only looking towards the future and thinking of those we were going to spend it with. My future would contain Damon and anything else I wanted whilst Stefan's would consist of having eternity with his first and only love; Katherine Pierce. Damon was right in the car back from Georgia, we were going to be okay.

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><p><strong>Okay so the ending is short but it's an epilogue kind of thing. Anyway, I hope you liked it because I actually suck at endings and it is definitely something I need to improve on. Ah, so what did you guys think? Please be nice! Please review and thank you so much for reading this story! <strong>

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**Lauren xXx**


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